


This Was NOT IN MY TEN YEAR LIFE PLAN!

by Koi112



Series: When the Ball Drops [2]
Category: Fallout 4
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Consent, F/M, How about that plot twist?, I do not own the rights to any of the music used, M/M, Part 4 is all about the food. Recipes that is., Polyamory, The one where I lost the plot. Sort of, There will be a part three because I can, adding tags as I go
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-10-27
Updated: 2021-02-23
Packaged: 2021-03-08 21:49:12
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 9
Words: 73,295
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27213706
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Koi112/pseuds/Koi112
Summary: Cordova and Nate both leave the Vault and find life isn't what they thought it would be.  Nate and Cordova find signs of life and it rocks them both to the core.  Nate and Cordova separate, and in going their own way, Cordova still tries to make sense of what happened in the Vault and uses her past as a way to deal with the present.
Series: When the Ball Drops [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1835278





	1. What in the Hell Just Happened?

**Author's Note:**

> If you read the original one of this series and had a lot of things you noticed wrong, I read them too and deleted it. (I am a MAJOR TYPE A personality), and even I realized that the story was choppy as hell and hard to read through. Just know that I heard the silent yelling at me and so I am redoing it. If this is your first time coming across this, I want to say Thank You and while Cordova and Nate speak Latin I will also translate using these for English () so you know what is being said. Stay warm, stay happy, and know that I am sending you hugs if you need them.
> 
> Also, if you are wondering why I made the female SS Sleepless, I based her off a character in a book that I hope you'll all read. It's called "Beggars in Spain" by Nancy Kress and it is a book that will make you think about your genes and how they work. And how if you never had to sleep, what that would cause in the end.

She heard the blare of the alarms, the mechanical voice and looked around. She had no idea what was going on, but in pushing the pod door, it opened under her hand. Pushing it fully open, she fell to the ground and looked up to see Nate looking around. When his pod opened, he too fell to the ground and she looked at the bullet wound. "What in the hell is going on?" She looked at Nate and shook her head. "Where is everyone?" She got to her feet and noticed the blood. "I don't know, but I think we should find a way out." Cordova nodded. "We should also find a way to stop the bleeding." Nate looked at her confused and the pain hit him. "He shot me. That son of a bitch SHOT ME! It's not enough that he killed my wife and took Shaun. Oh God. Dova, we need to find my son." Cordova nodded and started to walk away, hoping to find something to heal Nate.

They both walked out of the room and looked down the hallway, Nate listening for the sounds of people. He shook his head as they walked into the first room. Cordova noticed the Stimpak and grabbed it, walking over to Nate and using it on the wound. "Thanks. That feels better." She made sure to wait, watching the bullet wound close. The sound of the slug, a dull thump on the concrete floor. Nate noticed the gun and picked it up, grabbing the bullets and lead the two of them out. Cordova was not in anyway prepared to see the Radroaches the size of house cats rushing at them. Nate didn't think twice and shot them. She looked at him and sighed. "Sequitur ibi meam decem anni vitae consilium. Ego metas quoque te scire. (There goes my ten year life plan. I had goals too you know.)" Nate chuckled as they kept walking. "I think everyone did and that makes it worse." She nodded as they kept walking. Entering a room with a terminal, Cordova looked at it, reading what was said. "Nate?" He looked up from the lockers he was looking through. "Yeah?" She kept reading. "We were an experiment. We were frozen to see how our bodies could handle it. Do you know what this means?" He walked over and looked at her. "No. But I have a bad feeling about it." She nodded. "We were never meant to get out." He looked at her stunned, as she kept reading. "They killed everyone for science. One that goes against the 'never do harm' and two they fucked up. We got out and I am not sure what happens next." Nate looked at her and found another gun and held it out to her. "I know your Medical knowledge would come in handy." She snorted. "My law degree too. But I doubt Vault-Tec is still around. Let's find a way out and leave this tomb behind." Nate nodded as she opened a door, her mind going to the people that were killed. "Feels like genocide." He looked at her. "I know, but think about something else." She nodded. "Well, they didn't know I was Sleepless so there is that I guess." Nate looked at her stunned. "What? I needed to know." He nodded and left the room, not waiting for her to catch up.

As they walked down the empty hallway, Cordova took aim and killed the roaches that came at them, Nate looking at her. "Nice form, Roger taught you well." She shrugged. "He always told me two things: A Lady should never carry anything heavier than a hand bag, and the second, a lady should always know how to shoot. The first I can see, but the second? Everyone should have known that. It goes into the realm of common sense." Nate looked at her and as they got closer to the exit, he noticed a Pip-Boy on the desk and walked over to the Vault button. Seeing a second one he called her over and held it out. Putting his on his wrist, she did the same. Attaching the wire to the button, the door started to move and she looked at him. "This is it. We can go home." Nate nodded and took a breath, letting it out. "And a way to find Shaun." She nodded as the door opened all the way, the metal walkway moving to the stairs. When they got on the elevator, Cordova looked around, hoping to never see this place again.

As the plate rose higher, Cordova blinked as it got brighter, using her arm to shield against how bright it was. Giving their eyes time to adjust, they both scanned the area. "What in the hell?" She looked at where Nate was pointing and for once, she was stunned. "I have a feeling Boston took a direct hit. Let's go and see if we can find Shaun." Nate nodded and they walked down the path together. As they walked, Cordova noticed all of the bones and looked at Nate. "They died from this. They died because men decided that their ego let them play God and that? That I can't live with. People suck." Nate nodded. "I know and I am sorry for what happened. This wasn't supposed to happen." She nodded as they got closer to her house. Seeing Codsworth, Cordova walked over and waited. "As I live and breathe. Mum? Master Nate? It's. It's really you!" She looked at Codsworth and smiled. "Still breathing and wondering what in the Nine Levels of Hell happened?" He looked at her. "You both left in a hurry. But the bombs fell and no one was left. I was worried and hoped you both got to the Vault. Master Nate? Are Holly and Shaun coming?" Nate nodded. "No, she's dead." Codsworth was confused. "What? I don't understand." Nate looked at him. "Holly was killed and Shaun was taken. Have you seen him?" Nate was babbling and Codsworth looked at the two of them. "I think you need to eat something. I know. I will whip you up a snack. You have to be famished and two hundred and ten years late for dinner." Cordova and Nate looked at each other and then to Codsworth. "You are suffering from hunger induced paranoia." Nate shook his head, as Cordova looked at Codsworth. "What do you mean 'two hundred and ten years'? That can't be right. Can it?" Codsworth looked at her. "I could be wrong. With the dings to the old Chromometer. But no, it's been that long." He floated in the house and brought back some snacks and Cordova waved them away, Nate taking the bag of dried fruit. "When you are finished with that, we can search the houses. There has to be a clue here somewhere." Nate ate little and looked at the robotic butler. "Let's go find my son." She walked in the house and tried not to imagine the screams of death people knew were coming, and how she was able to get in the Vault. The guilt laid on her like a blanket as she went to her bedroom and changed into her favorite jeans and t-shirt. Looking at the Pip-Boy, she called up the date and knew Codsworth was being honest. Jumping from the sound of shot, she slipped into her favorite stilettos and walked out of the bedroom, just as Nate and Codsworth came in. "He's gone." Nate walked over to the couch and she felt bad. As she got closer, she heard Nate start sobbing. "Nate? We will find out what happened, even if it takes a life time for me." He looked up and nodded.

As Codsworth worked on dinner, she watched Nate's face. "Want to talk about it?" He shook his head and Cordova dropped it. "You could try Concord." They both looked at Codsworth. "There are people there and maybe they know something." Codsworth floated over with a tray , and she noticed the food and smiled. "Your favorite Master Nate. Casserole." They both took a plate, eating but not really tasting what was made. Cordova swallowed and looked at Nate. "It does make sense. Who knows, they might tell you where they went, Nate nodded and looked at her. "Well, we still have lots of daylight left. How are you feeling about this?" She shook her head. "Later. Let's go find your son." They finished the meal and Nate looked at the ring in her navel. "You want to change that before we go?" She looked at him. "Already did while you were hunting for clues." She placed her hand on Nate's arm and he looked into her teal eyes. "Nate? What they did was kidnapping, and murder. Whoever did this, killed your wife and kidnapped your son. If at anytime this gets to be too much, I need you to talk to me. Ok?" Nate nodded as they crossed the bridge hoping to find help in Concord.

As they walked toward the Red Rocket, Cordova noticed a dog run at them. Getting eye level with the dog, he kissed her cheek, making her laugh. "You are such a cutie! What is your name?" The dog barked at her and she laughed again as Nate looked at the two of them. "You are such a good boy." He looked at Nate and knocked him over, covering his face in kisses. "Oh I see how it goes. You like him better. That's ok though. He needs the help more than I do." The dog got off Nate and plopped down, his tail wagging. "He needs a name Nate, and you always did want a dog." Nate nodded, a smile on his face. "I think I will name you Dog Meat. Not sure if that works." Dog Meat barked making Nate laugh again. "Dog Meat it is. Let's go find some help." They walked away from the fueling station, Cordova looking at the cars, wishing they worked. "EMP wave would have rendered them useless." She nodded as they started to walk again. "Makes you wonder." He looked at her as the gunfire got louder as they got closer. "About?" She sighed. "Nuka World. Wonder if it's still standing." Before Nate could reply, a bullet whizzed past her head and hit the sign. Returning fire, Nate pushed her out of the way.

Preston knew the two newcomers were in trouble and watched the man shoot back. "Hey! If you can help us that would be great!" They both looked up and noticed him, Cordova nodding. "I have no idea what I am doing, but set them up and I will knock them down." Nate grabbed her hand and led her into the building the man walked back into. Opening the door, Cordova knew she was screwed. Nate handed her a different weapon, causing her to look at it. "Are you out of your mind? I use that and I am dead because who in their right fucking mind PUTS A CRANK ON A FUCKING GUN? I swear whoever did is an idiot and hates people." She pocketed the weapon and shot back with the handgun found in the Vault. Nate passed her more bullets when she was out, but her anger wasn't there, the only thing she felt was pity. They split up, Dog Meat walking with Cordova, aware that she had no idea what to do, but walking through she fired first and kept on going. She heard Nate yell and watched a man fall over the side. "I just want to find my son. Is that so hard to do?" She laughed as she walked, stopping when she heard voices. One of the men spotted her and she shot him in the head, killing the other before he knew she was there. As she made her way up, she reloaded and tiptoed past the men hoping they ignored her. When the coast was clear, she heard Nate's gun and smiled. "They found him and now they are dead. Sucks to be them." Dog Meat huffed and it made her smile. She noticed the door open and the man from outside was walking in view, talking to someone bent over a terminal. "Just do what you can and I will hold them off." Cordova looked at Nate and they both walked into the room. "I am glad your on our side." She placed a hand in her pocket and pulled out the gun Nate gave her when they walked inside. "Yeah. I need to know who I can talk to about this gun? A crank for God's sake? It's like you want the person to use this dead. And not to mention it's a fucking WASTE OF TIME TO USE! Hell, I would rather have a fucking slingshot because I know that give me a small chance of getting away." Both the man in the duster and the man at the terminal looked at her. "I'm sorry about that little lady, but those parts were the only thing I had at the time." Sturgis walked over and smiled at her. "Call me 'Little Lady' again and I swear that you will not feel your soul leave your body because I know one hundred ways to kill a man and not leave a trace." Preston and Sturgis looked at her, and took a step back. Nate looked at the men. "I've seen her reduce a man to tears and she can do what she says. Who are you?" Preston held out his hand. "I am Preston Garvey. I am also a member of the Minute Men. 'Ready at a moment's notice' is what I live by. We heard there was a settlement near by and wanted to check it out, but in coming here, we were attacked by raiders. The people in this room are the only ones that are left." Cordova felt eyes on her and she looked around the room, and an old woman staring at her. Putting the woman out of her mind, Cordova went back to the conversation. "There are too many raiders and I can't protect everyone here and defend this place at the same time. On the roof there is a suit of Power Armor and a Mini gun. We could use both to keep the raiders at bay and hopefully get out of here without losing someone else. There is a fusion core in the basement. It can be used in the suit of Armor." Cordova left them to talk and found what Preston was talking about and tried to open the door. "Well, good thing I know how to pick a lock." She pulled out a bobby pin and a few seconds later, the door opened and she grabbed the core, walking through the room with the group and Nate inside. Finding the Armor, she put the core in and the back opened up, causing her to look inside it. "Well I'm glad I'm small, because Nate can't fit in here." Getting inside it, she walked back into the room. "I need everyone to stop and answer a question." Nate looked at her as she turned. "Does this Power Armor make my ass look huge? I mean it feels like it." Nate roared with laughter as the people in the room laughed, Nate and Preston walking out with her. "Is she always like this?" Nate nodded. "All the time. Except when she's serious." She yanked the Mini Gun free and walked to the edge of the roof, the bullets dragging behind her.

She watched as the raiders poured out of several different buildings and she shot them, Preston and Nate helping. When the last body fell, there was a roar and Cordova watched as a Death Claw made his way to them. "What in the fuck is that? Looks like a dinosaur!" Nate looked at it too. "No clue, but it looks deadly." She nodded and two things happened. She tripped and fell off the roof, and that got the Death Claws attention. As it ran at her, she looked at it. "And this is where I died." She remembered the gun and opened fire, her eyes closed as it was on top of her trying to slice it's way through the Armor. She felt it roar once and fall across her chest, dead. Nate rushed out of the building and pulled her free. "The next time you want to be bait, do you think you could warn someone?" She sighed as he got her to her feet. "Bait? Are you serious? I fell." Nate nodded as he lead her inside. "That. That was impressive. Mama Murphy says there is a settlement near here. Do you know what she is talking about? All she says is that we will find Sanctuary there." Cordova nodded. "Yeah, a mile from here is a place called Sanctuary Hills." Preston smiled and get everyone out of the building, Nate carrying Mama Murphy, talking to her as they went. When Preston would ask a question, she would answer and he would ignore her and wait for Nate to answer. It happened a few more times and Cordova stopped talking.

As they crossed the bridge, Preston looked at Mama Murphy. "Wow. You were right. This place is amazing. Cordova nodded. "Should have been here two hundred and ten years ago. It looked better than this." She walked away as Preston looked at Nate. "Is she for real?" Nate ignored the man, hoping he got the point, but Nate figured he wouldn't and walked over to Cordova, watching her get out of the Power Armor and stowing the weapon. "You ok?" She nodded and looked at the damage. "Yeah, pretty much used to his type." Preston walked over and heard her comment. "His type? What does that mean?" Nate looked at him. "Meaning men that think a woman hold no value other than the kids she can give him. But she's too nice to say it directly. She's right and I noticed that when you asked a question and she answered, you waited for me to say something. I didn't and hoped you'd say something to her." Cordova looked at Nate. "He's not worth the wasted breath. He thinks his word is law, but he has no idea the damage I can do when I really get going." Nate sighed and looked at Preston. "Until you get over yourself, I will not say a word to anyone. But it does strike me as odd, that you'd listen to Ms. Murphy and trust what she says, but not a person who lived here." Preston looked at Cordova. "What does he mean?" Cordova resisted the urge to kick the man through the wall of her house and sighed. "On the top of the hill you seen when you came is a Vault. Nate and I were frozen in that Vault and not even three hours ago left said Vault. We were frozen for over two hundred and ten years. And yes, we had no idea what was happening to the world around us, because again, Nate and I were frozen in the Vault and were dealing with a different set of issues. So why don't you do us all a favor and sit down in the corner, and shut the fuck up. There is nothing that you can say that will ever make me think you know what you are doing." Preston looked at her, and noticed the sarcasm in her tone. "Wow. That. That is a long time. Are you both ok?" She looked at Preston and got in his face. "That is not your problem. Your problem is staying as far as fucking possible away from me. I know how to dismember a body and learned that my first week of Medical School." She turned on her heel and walked away, Preston looking at the heels wondering how she was able to walk on them.

Cordova walked over to her house to tell Codsworth there were people here, as Mama Murphy walked over to Preston. "I knew this was going to happen. You think so much of the world revolves around what you want and no one else matters. I seen the two of them in that ice box and know that they are going to help, but you need to let go of your pride, your ego. Holding on to both of them does more damage, and neither one will keep you warm on a cold night." She walked away as Sturgis walked over to him, watching Cordova through the window of her bedroom. They watched her disappear and then walk by the window in figure hugging tight clothes as Strugis sighed. "Sure makes a man want things he can't have. Her being one of those things." Both men watched her bend and twist, head following the movements. "I figured that was what time it was." Both men jumped as Nate walked over. "What is she doing?" Preston asked while watching her. "It's called 'yoga' and it helps her get rid of anger, and helps keep her focused." She looked at Nate and he heard her call out. "Spectaculum frui? Quia usus est, ut adiuvetis me ante vos got duxit. (Enjoying the show? Because you used to join me before you got married.)" Nate sighed and called back. "Da mihi paucis. Ego postulo ut reperio vestimenta mea. (Give me a few. I need to find my clothes.)" She waved him away as Preston and Strugis had no idea what they were saying. "It's ok. I'm done anyway. Just needed to make my back pop." He laughed as she walked away from the window and they noticed the flecks of light on her wall. She came bounding out and over to Nate, a bag over her shoulder. "I am going to go and see what I can find out for you. Keep your radio on." Nate looked at her and nodded, every male in the area looking at her and wondering if she was single or if she and Nate were a couple. She hugged him and made her way across the bridge, Dog Meat chasing after her. She stopped and looked at him. "You can stay here puppy. They could probably use you guarding the Fort." Dog Meat whined and bolted back to Nate, her wave cheery as she crossed the bridge. As the sun started to set, everyone got started on fixing the houses they could use and Preston looked at Cordova's. "Not for anyone. That is her space and will kick you stupid for even thinking it." Nate walked over to her house and opened the door, Codsworth greeting him. He closed the door and sat down on the couch.

She walked past the museum and shivered, the animal she killed in the same spot. As she walked, she was flipping through the radio stations and stopped when a message came from the speaker. "This is Scribe Haylen of Reconnaissance Squad Gladius to any unit in transmission range. Authorization Arx Feral 9 5 pharaoh. Our unit has sustained heavy casualties and we're running low on supplies. We are requesting support or evac from our position at Cambridge Police Station. Automated message repeating." She bolted toward the Police Station and making sure her weapon was loaded and ready. Danse was trying his best to take down the Feral Ghouls, but the flood was more than he could keep up with. As he kept firing, a gun shot came from behind him and kept shooting at the Ghouls. When Danse turned their attention to the person behind him, they all moved her way. He kept shooting and so did she, the click of her needing to reload, gave him time to cover her. She kept firing after reloading and pretty soon, the bodies were on the ground, and a flash of red walked by him, the pistol still smoking. As she bent down to look at them, he walked over to her. "I wouldn't touch them. A dead Ghoul is worse than a live one." She sighed and didn't look up. "Good to know. They remind me of something just as brainless, but you never seen one outside of a horror movie." She stood up and turned, Danse's hazel eyes meeting her teal ones. "Thanks for the assist Solider, but I need to ask how you found us?" She pointed to her Pip-Boy. "I caught your repeating message and came to help." He nodded as she wrapped her hair into a bun and patted her pocket, a smile forming when she found what she needed and placed the sticks into it. As his eyes took her in, he noticed the shoes. "Those hard to run in?" She looked down at her feet and shook her head. "No harder than riding a bike." He looked at her confused and didn't want to ask. "It's not everyday a civilian comes to our aid. Military?" She looked at him. "Kinda? I had family that served." He nodded. "What settlement are you from?" She sighed. "Sanctuary Hills. It's about fiveish miles from here. Might be ten. Hell, I'm not even sure of the distance to be honest." He looked at her confused. "The last report we had said that no one lived there except a robot." She snorted. "Yeah, but did you check the Vault on the top of the hill?" Danse looked at her, his eyes wide. "You. You're a Vault Dweller? Not many people would admit to that." She sighed. "And not many idiots would walk around in Power Armor like it was a business suit, but look at you go." He jolted at her tone, his face darkening in anger, and she sighed. "Sorry. You can take the Lawyer out of the Law, but not the Law from the Lawyer. Ego pervenit mea excors tolerantia gradu paucis abhinc horis. (I reached my idiot tolerance level a few hours ago.)" Danse looked at her confused as she glanced over at Haylen and Rhys. "Why don't you come inside? I would like to talk to you about something." She nodded and watched a woman help a man to his feet. "You could care for the dying you know." The woman looked at the man and laughed. "You are not dying. By the time we are inside, the Stimpak will have worked." The man looked at the woman and sighed. "It already did. but I can use some help getting inside." The woman laughed as Danse looked at Cordova. He searched her face for something and walked inside. With one last look at the Ghouls, Cordova walked inside, unsure of what was going to happen.

She walked in and let the three of them talk, making her way to a couch, the memory of the first meeting with Nate popping into her head. As she stood there, the long ago conversation playing in her head, Rhys watched her and looked at Danse. "Can we trust her Sir? She could have been sent by the enemy to take us out. I don't feel safe as long as she's here." Cordova was pulled from the memory as he walked over to her. "I doubt she's even paying attention Sir." Cordova sighed. "Are you always this hostile to people who save your ass? Because when I got here, you were whining about a fucking boo-boo instead of using both your brains and the gun in your hand to back up the man who was trying to keep you all from dying. Fuck, I should have kept moving and let your bitch ass die. Would have been a lot better than hearing you bitch, moan, groan, and complain." He looked at her and balled his fist. "Rhys! You will stand down. And you? You will learn what it means to work as a team." Rhys looked at her and spat at her feet. "Ad Victoriam." Rhys looked at her and then to Danse. "I highly doubt she knows what that means Paladin." She rolled her eyes. "It means 'To or Toward Victory' actually. It was used in the War against the Papacy in 65 AD. Pope Claudius the Fourth wanted Latin used as the only language of the world at that time, but the people didn't because Latin at that time was not spoken much outside of what is now Italy. People in support of it, fought against the people who believed that Latin was being used to keep the poor out of church. Men and their ego's I think. But in the end, the Pope was over ruled when the King said that Latin could be used for funeral rights, but not much else. But I could speak fluent Latin at the age of four. And I did a report on the fight between the common man and the church for a law class." She looked at the three of them and shrugged. "What?" Danse looked at her and sighed. "We need your help." She looked at the Paladin and then at Rhys who was muttering. "Not to far from here is the location of a deep range transmitter. We need that part to call for backup." She nodded as Danse looked at her. "I can't do this mission alone and I could use the back up." She sighed. "Ok. I'll help. Might be fun." Everyone looked at her as Danse got angry. "This isn't a game. People have died already on this mission and it is not a joke." She looked at Danse. "Do you really want to have this conversation Paladin? I walked out of a Vault where two hundred and forty-eight people, out of the two hundred and fifty people died. They suffocated when the life support was tampered with. Don't you EVER talk to me like that again. You can lead with your ego, but trust me, I dealt with people with bigger egos and not much brains. I am not one to piss off because you have to sleep sometime and I can do a lot of damage in ten minutes. You think your balls are big?" She shook her head. "Not as big as mine are and they fucking sit higher. You called for help here Zippy the Wonder Squirrel, and I didn't have to help you." She grabbed her bag and walked to the door. "Good luck on whatever it is you are doing, because you just insulted the one person that could help you." Haylen ran over to her as Cordova's temper faded away. "Please don't go. They are both idiots. Plus with you here, it evens things out. Kinda tired of being the only girl here." Cordova looked at her and sighed. "Fine. But boy wonder with the temper issue will be punted through a wall if he EVER spits at my feet or me again. If the Paladin thinks I'm some weak little girl, he should keep this in mind. I went to Medical School, I know how the body works, and I do know what nerves to press to make him wish he was dead or dying. The heels I'm wearing? Not just for show." Haylen lead her to a table and put a Nuka Cola in front of her, taking the cap off and putting it in her pocket, tapping the bottle against hers, and draining half the bottle. Danse and Rhys were talking in low tones and they made their way to the table, sitting down in the two empty chairs and looked at her.

Danse looked at Rhys and then to her. "What do you know about Arc-Jet?" She looked at him. "More than you ever will. They had a big DOD contract and were good at cooking the books as the old saying goes. Not much information out, but a shit ton going in. When employees were questioned, they clammed up and screamed for lawyers so fast, even I was impressed and I wasn't SEC or FTC." Danse had no idea what she was talking about, but he nodded. "Anyway. What we need is there." She laughed and looked at him. "All I have to say is 'Good fucking Luck'. They had security better than the Super Max Federal Prison in Upstate New York. Trust me. You even breathe in the place wrong and they were carting you out on a stretcher." Her eyes went sad and Haylen looked at her. "I'm fine." She nodded as Danse looked at her. "What else can you tell me?" She shook her head. "That's all of it. But I am not sure if that will help you anyway." Haylen stood up and walked away from the table, and came back carrying a tray with four bowls on it, handing them off. Cordova waited for her to sit down before taking a bite. When she did, she had no idea how hungry she was until her spoon hit the bottom of the bowl. "When do we leave?" Danse looked at her. "In the morning, so I suggest you find a bed and sleep in it." She sighed. "I doubt that will ever happen." Danse looked at her confused. "When I give an order, I expect it to be followed." She snorted. "And it's hard to obey an order when one of you can't sleep because they had that gene removed Genius." Danse looked at her. "What?" She shook her head. "I was created without the need to sleep. Twenty of us were in the US, one hundred in total around the world. Nineteen of them were male and I was the only female created. At the age of four, I taught myself Latin. At twelve, I was the youngest and only person to ever enter Medical School and Law School at the same time. I graduated Magna Cum Laude for both degrees, and passed the bar at 16. I practiced Law mostly for two years, but donated what time I could on the weekends treating returning soldier's diagnosed with PTSD, called Post Traumatic Stress Disorder on my time and on my dime. So if you think you have any idea about me, you don't, and trying to pretend makes you look like an idiot." She got up from the table, grabbed her bag and walked over to the couch, Danse, and Rhys feeling guilty for the way she was treated by the two of them. Haylen cleared the table and the three members of the BoS got ready for bed. Cordova turned on the Pip-Boy light and pulled out a book, on guard in case anything happened.

Danse had a hard time falling asleep, his mind replaying what she said about not needing to sleep. He rolled out of the bed and walked to the couch she was sitting on. "Good book?" She looked up and noticed he was trying to read the title. "It's in Latin and it's one of my favorites. You should be sleeping though." He nodded. "I know, but I have to ask you why you told us? And did you want the news kept out of the report I send the Elder?" She sighed and looked at him. "Only if you feel the need." She closed the book and looked at him. "I didn't tell you that to make you feel guilty. You asked a question and I answered it. I am honest, I can't lie to save my ass. Think that's why I was a good Lawyer and Therapist, because I could adjust on a dime. Everyone has things they can't share about themselves. I am way too honest and if you really want the truth, I can't hide what I am anymore. I had to do that a lot growing up and it sucked." Danse nodded and looked at her. "I will let the Elder make that choice when he meets you. If we get the transmitter, he will be here in two days. I just want you to know that I am on your side and won't let anyone hurt you." She shifted on the couch and he looked at her. "Is there a problem?" She nodded and sat up, moving something out of the way. "Navel ring. Forget that there is a diamond the size of my thumbnail attached to it." Danse looked at her and she stood up showing him the ring. "Pretty." She sighed. "Yeah, but getting it done was easy. Now, you really should get some rest. Dawn comes really early, and you will probably want coffee in the morning." Danse nodded. "I usually get up and make it." She smiled. "Ok. Well I guess I will see you then. Paladin." He chuckled and looked at her. "I'm glad you are here." She opened the book and didn't look up. "I am too." He looked at her. "I never got your name." She sighed. "It's Cordova." He nodded walking back to his bunk. As his eyes closed, he wondered why her name sounded so familiar.

A few hours later, she looked at the time and walked over to the stove, grabbing the coffee pot, she made the coffee the same way Roger and Nate both liked and set it to brew. Walking to the alarm clock, she turned it off and waited for the right time to wake Danse. "Hey Danse?" His eye popped open and he looked up at her. "There better be a good reason you are leaning over me." She nodded. "It's time to wake up. I know you set your alarm, but I don't think the other's need to be up this early." She kept the conversation in low, gentle tones. "I also made coffee and threw some Fancy Lad Cakes to warm in the oven." He sighed as she stood up, turning her back to him. As he slipped on his uniform, he watched her to make sure she didn't peek at him like Haylen did. Picking up his boots, he let her leave first, closing the door behind him. He walked to the coffee pot, grabbing a mug and poured both of them a cup and she pulled the rolls out of the oven. "I was in this building before the war. Hell I should have asked for an office because I was here so much." He handed her a mug as he took a roll of the metal sheet and took his breakfast to the table. "Hell I met my best friend here." Danse looked at her and took a sip from the mug, his eyes wide. "I'm sorry, and how did you know I like my coffee this strong?" She looked at him. "How I drink mine, and don't be. He walked in and out of the Vault with me." Danse caught the 'he' and looked at her. "And no. He was old enough to be my brother and acted like one too." They finished breakfast and made their way to Arc-Jet, just as Nate was leaving for Diamond City.

Nate had no idea where he was going, but going by what he heard, he knew the general area. As he walked Dog Meat had to sniff everything and it made Nate laugh. "I can't believe she took down a Death Claw. From what Preston was telling me, those things are killing machines. I hope she doesn't run into another. Gave me a heart attack when she killed it." They kept walking as Nate thought and hoped she was ok. "She's my best friend and I don't want her to get hurt." As they crossed a bridge, he noticed the arrows pointing toward Diamond City. "Well, looks like today is going to be a good one." He walked through the trash and was stopped by a voice yelling into a speaker. Nate noticed where he was and smiled. "You listen to me Danny Sullivan! You let me in this instant. I'm a sitting duck out here." The sigh at the other end sounded bored and irritated. "No can do Piper. The Mayor and everyone is riled up at the paper you printed. Said it's all lies." She scrubbed a hand down her face as Nate just watched. "I live here Danny. You better open this gate RIGHT NOW!" The man sighed again as she finally noticed Nate and waved him over. "Hey you! You want in?" Nate sighed. "Just play along. What? You say your a trader from Quincy and you have enough supplies to keep Myrna is stock for months? Hear that Danny? You have to let him in." The man sighed. "Fine Piper. Low blow bringing my mom into this. Hold on." The speaker turned off and Piper laughed as Nate stared at her. "And I thought she was crazy." The gate opened and Piper walked in, Nate and Dog Meat walking in behind her. "You! You! Who let you in here? You are nothing but a trouble making rabble rouser! You have the whole town pissed off Piper." She shrugged and looked at Nate. "Print lies and everyone's happy. Print the truth and they go out of their minds." The man looked at her and then to Nate. "I am putting you on notice Piper. One more story and I will scrap that press for parts." Nate looked at the man and shook his head. "You hear that? The Mayor wants to end free speech! He can't do that. I have rights to print the truth." The Mayor finally noticed Nate and smiled. "I'm sorry about this stranger. I didn't mean to involve you in this age old fight." Nate waved his words away. "I am hoping you can help me." The Mayor looked at him. "I can try. What seems to be the issue?" Nate looked at him. "My son is missing and I need some help. Is there someone I can talk to? He's just a baby." The Mayor rubbed his chin. "I can have my men take a report, but other than that I'm sorry." Piper looked at the mayor stunned. "Wow, you really do suck and I hope you are voted out of office. This man is coming to you for help and you men 'will take a statement'? And then what? They won't do anything and we all know it." The Mayor looked at her and sighed. "Talk to Nick. He might be able to help you out. Not making any promises, but see what he can do. Now if you'll excuse me, I have things to do." The Mayor walked away as Piper stared at Nate. "What?" She looked at him, a small smile on her face. "I think I just found my next story. Come by my office and I will see if I can get word out. The more eyes, the better." She whistled as she walked away, Nate following her.

Nate looked around and realized he had been there before, but for a different reason. Baseball. "Cordova would arrange a day for the soldier's to come here. She would pay for the tickets and use the Sky Box she had from her dad. She would bring ten at a time and here they could use watch baseball, drink Nuka's and when the game was over, the players would come and greet the men defending their right to play baseball. She is amazing Dog Meat." He chuffed like he already knew and Nate walked down the stairs and walked into Piper's office. "I know that look." He looked at her. "Pardon?" She laughed. "The fish out of water look. You don't look like a normal waste lander." Nate nodded. "I don't know what that is. I left Vault one-eleven two days ago?" She looked at him her eyes wide. Grabbing a pad of paper, she lef him to the couch. "Tell me everything. What was life like before the war?" He sighed. "Crazier than this actually. I was married, I have a son, a best friend who was in the Vault with me. She too got out. When I was frozen, there was no concept of time for either of us. I remember my wife was holding our son, Shaun and he was taken. I don't know by who, but I need to know what happened. Why him? And why was I left behind." Piper nodded and kept writing. "Now that you have seen the damage? If you could tell the people one thing, what would it be?" Nate sighed. "Don't give up hope. People survived after the bombs fell, and hope? Hope never fades and it never dies." Piper asked him questions about the bombs and he answered them. With a smile, she set the pad down and looked at him. "You gave me a lot to work with. I will let you know when it's published. What's your name by the way?" He looked at her. "Nate." He stood up and she did too. "Well, Nate. I hope we see a lot more of each other." He nodded, walking into the door, making her giggle. He found the knob and turned it, wanting to escape. When he hit the cool air, he walked around and behind the buildings. Finding Nick's place, he opened the door. "I have no idea how I am going to run this without you Nick. You sure do know how to leave a girl in a bind." Nate cleared his throat and Ellie looked at him. "I'm sorry, but if you're looking for Nick, he's not here, and no. I don't know when he'll be back, or if he'll ever be back." Nate looked at her. "Do you know where he went? I need his help." She sighed. "He went off to find a girl. She ran away from home and Nick was hired to find her. Nick thinks she's with Skinny Malone and he went to see if she was there. He's been gone for three days." Nate nodded. "Do you know where about this Skinny Malone is?" She nodded. "An old subway tunnel that was being turned into a Vault." Nate nodded and knew right where the man was. "Got it. I will bring him back. Just if anyone asks, he's on his way back." Ellie nodded as Nate walked out Dog Meat on his heels.

Cordova had a bad feeling as they walked inside Arc-Jet. Making their way into the inner workings, she walked into a room where the security was and she stopped. "This is not what I was expecting." Danse walked in behind her and noticed all the destroyed robots. "Something is missing. This is too clean." Danse nodded. "What is missing?" She looked at the robot and cocked her head to the side. "There is no blood." Danse nodded. "This has to be the work of the Institute." She looked at him confused. "Who?" He sighed. "The Institute replaces people with machines. They leave these as a reminder that they can do what they want, when they want and there is no way to stop them. We need to find the transmitter and get the Elder here." Cordova nodded, walking over to a terminal and hacking into it, Danse watching her. She glanced up and noticed he wasn't happy. "What? I knew people who worked here. They gave me the password to shut down the security to the rest of the building." He nodded and walked out, Cordova turning everything off and walking out behind him. Walking into a room, she made sure her gun was ready. "See if you can get those doors open." She looked around the room and noticed a tape and took it to one terminal and getting a password on it. She walked over to a second, placing the tape inside and that is when she came face to face with her death and it's eyes were yellow. Danse opened fire and so did she, both Synth's falling over, smoke pouring out of the bullet holes. "Stay behind me. I can take the shots." She nodded and grabbed the guns they dropped and the ammo to go with it. As they went down, more Synth's appeared and she felt one behind her and she put a bullet in it's head, collecting the gun, and fusion cells. When they got to the lower level, she looked up. "Fuck me sideways and twice on Sunday. That's what they were hiding." Danse looked at where she was looking. "What is that?" She sighed. "A JPE. Jet Propulsion Engine. It was supposed to make traveling to war zones faster. Arc-Jet never wanted this to get out." She felt the air shift and Danse looked at her. "Find a way to turn on the elevator." She ran into the engine room as Synth's flooded the room, Danse barely keeping up. She looked around the room, grabbed the fusion core and found a breaker. She flipped it and the whole place lit up. When she rushed back, she noticed Danse, and he caught her eye. Walking backwards, he got into the room and she closed the blast doors. "I hope this works." She ran to the test button and hit it, Danse using the countdown to drag her behind a concrete wall. When the timer hit zero, everything in the room was reduced to ash and she smiled. "More than one way to kill a Synth." She turned on the fan and opened the doors, the guns the only thing left behind. Danse looked at her. "If you can't carry it, give it to me. I will hold on to it for you." She walked the bag she found in one of the rooms to him, after stuffing more weapons and ammo into it and handed it to him. He opened a spot on his Armor and stuffed it in there and she smiled. “Now I know why Nate loved his." Danse nodded as she pressed the call button for the elevator. When it arrived, they got on, both trying to make sense of what was going on.

Nate walked into the subway station and killed the men as they came at him, Dog Meat helping. As the two of them walked, Nate would wait for the men to go by unaware that he was there. He walked the hallways, and when he couldn't help it, would kill whoever came at him. When he got to a room, he heard a man and his voice sounded hateful. "Skinny is keeping you there for your own good. Says he owes you instead of letting Darla handle you." The voice laughed. "I doubt that, but she does have a mean streak. So why don't you let me out and I can get her out of Skinny's hair?" The man snorted. "Nah, you're good where you are at." Nick didn't say a word as Nate walked behind the man, putting him in a sleeper hold and breaking his neck. Walking over, he opened the door and walked in, Nick Valentine lighting a cigarette. "Thanks for the assist, but how did you find me?" Nate chuckled. "Your secretary told me you were here. She was worried when you didn't return." Nick nodded. "What can I help you with?" Nate held up a hand. "That can wait. We need to leave." Nick nodded. "True. If Dino doesn't come back, they will send out a search party. Let's move." Nick ran out of the door, Nate and Dog Meat on his heels. Nick was saying something about Skinny and Darla, but Nate wasn't paying attention. His mind on getting out of here alive. When men rushed into the room, Nick and Nate opened fire, the men falling over. "Just beyond this door is freedom." The door opened, both men confronted with a pissed off Skinny Malone and a woman next to him. "Thought you could just walk out of here Nicky? What happened to our code?" Nick sighed. "If your girlfriend would write home more often, her dad wouldn't have sent me." She huffed. "Oh? So I should just run home to daddy? Fat chance." Nate looked at her. "Banging body? Full lips? My dude. Why are you keeping such a fine ass woman down here in this Vault. If I had her on my arm, I'd be showing off her beauty to every man within a fifty mile radius. A girl like you should be adored. Every girl should want to be you, and every guy should want to treat you like the Queen you are." Skinny looked at Nate, and so did Darla. She threw down the bat and looked at Skinny. "See? He gets it. You don't. I'm going home, and maybe find a guy who wants to be seen with me." She walked out as Nick looked at Skinny. "Thank God. She was getting too whiny. Look, you have ten seconds to get out before my men open fire." Nick and Nate bolted as Skinny counted. When both men were outside, Nick looked up at the stars. "Never knew I missed them until I realized I would never see them again." Nick lit a cigarette and blew it out. "Now that we are alone, what did you want to talk about?" Nate looked at the stars and hoped Cordova was safe. "My son is missing. I need your help to find him." Nick nodded. "Meet me back at my office We will talk there." Nate nodded as he and Nick went different ways to get back. When Nate got back to Nick's office, he was standing outside the door, he opened it and walked in Nate, behind him. "Nick? Nick is that you?" Nick chuckled. "The one and only." She ran out of the room and hugged him. "That God your safe. I was really worried." Nick looked at Nate and then to her. "All thanks to my friend here." She sighed. "You keep laughing at Death and one day he'll laugh back." Nick laughed as Ellie walked over and held out a bag. "I know money was never discussed, but you earned it." He smiled and looked at Nick. "Take a seat and we can get started." Nate nodded and sat down. "You say your son is missing. Take me back to the day it happened. And leave nothing out." Nate nodded and took a shaky breath, and he let it out. "My wife, son, and my best friend were all frozen inside Vault one-eleven. We had no idea that was what would happen when we went in. The alarms woke me up and a man walked up to the glass and looked at me. Not finding what he wanted, he walked to my friends pod and did the same. That's when I heard my wife scream and our son started to cry. I. I think she may have fought with them because I heard him tell her to let him go. When she refused, he shot her. He then opened my pod, and shot me in the shoulder. My best friend seen it all and when I looked at her, there was a tear running down her face. We were refrozen and woke up three? Four days ago and got out." Nick and Ellie, looked at Nate and Ellie handed him a tissue. "Ok, frozen in a Vault, a man kills your wife and takes your son. Did you hear the name Kellogg??" Nate nodded. "No. It was what my friend called a smash and grab." Nick jolted and Ellie looked at Nick. "You ok?" He nodded. "Yeah. Now I know this is important, but did you get a good look at his face?" Nate nodded. "Yeah, he had a scar on his face. Ran down the right side." Nick and Ellie looked at him stunned. "He fits the description and he had a house here." Nick stood up and motioned for Nate to follow. When both men were outside, Nick walked around. "Kellogg is a bad guy. In capital letters. He is a mercenary, but for who? That's the confusing part. He kept to himself and no one messed with him. He'd sometimes go to the bar, but that was a very rare thing. The people here were afraid of him with good reason." They stopped in front of a door, and Nick pulled out a lock pick. "Keep watch will ya. If anyone walks by we were just talking." Nate nodded and looked around. "Son of a bitch. It won't open." He walked over to Nate. "See that light over there?" Nate nodded. "That's the Mayor's office. You should go and see if he has a key you can borrow. Say what you have to, but get that key." Nate nodded, and took the elevator to the Mayor's office. "The Mayor's office is closed, please come back in the morning." Nate nodded. "I'm sorry, I didn't realize it was so late. But I have a question you can answer. If my brother had a house here, who would I talk to about it? I knocked and he's not home. I'm just worried about him." The woman stood up and walked out of the room, coming back a few minutes later. "He normally doesn't do this, but he's willing to talk to you." Nate smiled and walked in to see the Mayor in a chair. "What I wouldn't give to see this fair city for the first time. The lights, the people, the history." Nate nodded. "Yeah. It seems pretty amazing." The Mayor looked at him. "My secretary says you need help? How can I help you?" Nate sighed. "My brother has a house here I was told and since I haven't seen him, it makes me think he's been hurt. Is there any possible way that you have a key son I can check? It's been a few years and I wanted to see if he could also help find his nephew." The Mayor nodded and pulled out a key. "I hope you find both your brother and your nephew." Nate nodded. "I just hope he will be home." Nate walked out, slipping the key in his pocket. He took the elevator down and walked back to the house.

Cordova looked at Danse and had no idea what he was planning. "Anything?" Danse nodded. "We both go in, clear the room and find the transmitter. It's the only room we haven't looked in." She nodded and noticed the Synth walk past the doorway. "Looks like we have company. Stay behind me and I will do what I can. Take out what you can and I will do the rest." She laughed and Danse looked at her. "I can do this. I went to Harvard. I had to give a speech in front of two hundred people and that was a nightmare. This? I would gladly do the speech again naked than do this." Danse nodded. "I. You what?" She sighed. "I had to give a speech, well more like a debate in front of two hundred people. It was not fun for me." Danse looked at her. "What was it about?" She sighed. "About how women should have the choice on how they govern their bodies. Which at the time made sense, because there was a case before the Supreme Court that was dealing with the same topic. Seven men were trying to decide if a woman should be able to choose her doctor without having to have her husband's approval." Danse looked at her and stood up, and he ran into the room, opening fire. She calmly loaded her pistol and opened fire killing as many Synth's as she could. When the room was clear, she searched all over. Finding a trunk, she put everything in another bag she found and held it up. "I found Gold Ma! Lookit." Danse looked at her and he finally laughed, as he walked over. She wrapped it back up and they made their way outside. When she took a breath of fresh air, Danse looked at her. "That could have gone better, but it's over with." She looked at him. "Better? We had no idea what we were getting into, I had no idea what a fucking Synth was and I kicked ass and didn't take names, but that's not important. What is? We made a good team and I am glad I was able to help." Danse nodded. "You held your own. Your shirt may need to be replaced." She looked at it and smiled, ripping the burnt part off, and when she was done, it brushed the top of her belly button and showed of the navel ring. "Now, it you'll give me the transmitter, I'd like to give you something in return." She pulled it out, as Danse handed her a weapon. "Danse? I can't take this. What if you need it?" He smiled. "It's been modified by me and I want you to have it. You did really great work. Now, I have another offer. You can spend the rest of your life being a hired gun, taking whatever caps someone will pay you. Or you could join us, join the Brotherhood of Steel and made a real, lasting change. What do you say?" She ran her finger's lightly over the gun and looked at him. "I'd be honored. What do we do now?" He looked at her. "We get back and put this in. I have a feeling the Elder has been waiting to hear our voices." She nodded and they took their time getting back. While they were walking, Cordova pointed out what changes happened to the landscape and what had been there before. When they got back to the Police Station, Haylen and Rhys were glad to see them, surprised Cordova came back. As she walked to the couch to take her shoes off Rhys walked over to her. "I'm surprised you didn't take the caps and run." Danse and Haylen went silent as they looked at them. "What's the problem Rhys? Didn't think I'd come back? Or join the Brotherhood?" He looked at her his eyes wide. "You did what? You can't do that." She looked at him. "I don't answer to you. I never have, and your pissed because finally, you have someone to call you out on your bullshit. Let me guess? You think your the big fish in a little pond, making sure all the other fish are afraid of you. Well I'm not, and if you keep leading with your balls, I'm gonna castrate you without the pain blockers. You are not as tough as you pretend to be and we all see it. Behind the Bravado, you are nothing but a scared, pathetic bully who one day will get a giant helping of Karma. I just hope I am there to see it." He said nothing but took a swing at her. When he came to, he was in a jail cell, Danse looking at him, pissed off. "You will stay there until I calm down enough not to pound you to meat. Cordova kicked you through a wall and I didn't stop her." He walked out as Haylen was rubbing Cordova's arms. "I should have been faster." Cordova looked at her. "Wouldn't have mattered, he still would have went through the wall. Now, let's get the transmitter attached so you can call home. Long distance fees are expensive enough." She smiled as Haylen roared in laughter.

Danse took her with him to the roof and she knew the 'talk' was coming. "How did you do that?" She looked at him. "Martial Arts lessons as a kid. Kept with them and never stopped. Gave me an outlet for all the extra energy. Didn't slow me down too much, but it drove my God Father insane." Danse looked at her and then to the radio tower. "I have no idea how this is supposed to work." She opened the relay box and squinted in the fading light. Turning on the light to her Pip-Boy, she read what to do. Danse walked over and tried placing it, but it didn't go in. "Stop. Let me do it. You're gonna break it. Find me some oil. It might help this go in." Haylen walked out to them at the end of the conversation. Danse walked away, as Haylen walked up. "Let me guess?" Cordova snickered. "Yup, and almost broke it." Haylen laughed as Danse walked back over. "I need one of you to hold up the light so I can see." She took the Pip-Boy off and handed it to Danse. "Hold the light right." She raised and lowered his hands, finding the right spot. "There." She placed some oil on her fingers and rubbed it on the transmitter. "That should just about do it." She placed the part the way it was supposed to go, and flipped the switch, turning the power back on. "Go and see if it worked Haylen. Let us know if it did." She wiped her hands off and turned the light off, Danse staring at her. "How? How did you know?" She laughed. "I read the panel. Told me what to do." Haylen rushed back up the stairs and ran out and over to them. "It worked! The Elder is sending someone to get the report on what happened! It WORKED!" She ran off as Danse picked up Cordova and swung her around. He set her on her feet and they both went inside, hoping Danse got to talk to the Elder.

Unlocking the door, Nate and Nick walked around, not finding anything. "The room is off?" Nate looked over. "What?" Nick looked at him. "This wall shouldn't be here. See if there is a way to open in." Nate walked to the desk and noticed a button and pressed it. "There we go." Nick walked in and Nate followed behind. "He seems to have left in a hurry. His cigar is still burning." Nate nodded and tried to find a trace of his son. "We can use Dog Meat to track him. Dog like him have great noses and can find a bee in a forest if you needed to find it." Nate nodded and help out the cigar. "Help us find the bastard who took my son." Dog Meat ran out the open door and waited for Nate and Nick to close and lock the door, running after the dog. Nate for the first time since Shaun's birth, was hoping to find his son waiting for him. As Dog Meat lead them around, Nate and Nick barely talked, Nate wanting his son. When Dog Meat lead them to Fort Hagen Nate felt his blood freeze. "You ready for this?" Nate yawned. "Yes, but I think Dog Meat and I need to find a bed and crash. It's been twenty fours hours of motion, and my brain is screaming sleep." Nick nodded and Nate found a bed to crash in, Nick keeping watch over his friends. Ten hours later, Nate woke up, his head fuzzy, until he remembered where he was and why. Retying his boots, he looked at Nick. Without a word, both men walked into the Fort, Nate's mind taking him back to when he was stationed here and it made him smile. Walking through a building he knew well, any Synth that came at them, he killed without mercy. The deeper they walked into the building, the easier it was for Nate to let the anger take over, and Nick could feel the difference. As Nate waited around the corner, a Synth walked by and Nate ripped it's head from the body and sparks went everywhere. Dog Meat was sniffing ahead and the Synth's paid it no mind, hoping to find Nate. "Well Well. If it isn't my friend the TV dinner. If I remember, the last time I seen you, you were snuggled up between the frozen peas and apple cobbler. You need to turn around and leave. I'm not looking for roommates." Nate ignored him, kept killing Synth's as he went. "I get it. You're angry. I left you alive and I should have killed you when I had the chance." Nate kept on ignoring him until he got to a locked door that suddenly opened. "Fine. You want to know what happened to your son? I'm in the next room. I told the Synth's to stand down." Nate opened the door and Kellogg walked over to them. "Where is my son?" Kellogg looked at him. "I don't know. But I do know he's happy where he is." Nate sighed. "You're going to tell me where he is." Kellogg sighed. "He's being raised by the Institute. Look I don't know where it is. Most people see a closet as a closet, me? I see it as a way for the Institute to show you they are there. Watching. Hell they could be watching right now and you'd never know." Nate pulled his gun out and shot Kellogg in the head, the bullet splattering his brains all over the wall. Nick killed the two Synth's as Nate walked over to Kellogg and ripped the implant out of his head and held it up. "If that's what I think it is, we have a new piece to the puzzle. But look at it this way." Nate looked at him. "It's always the darkest before the dawn." Nate agreed, and both men walked out onto the roof. Hearing something in the sky Nate looked up and stopped in his tracks. "People of the Commonwealth. We come in peace and our intentions are pure. We are the Brotherhood of Steel." The message ended and Nate looked at Nick. "This just got a lot more interesting." Both men walked out of Fort Hagen and made their way back to Diamond City, while Cordova was dealing with her own issues.

Danse heard the message and yelled out, excited as she looked up from her book. "The Calvary has arrived." She looked at Danse as foot steps pounded down the stairs, a man walking into the room. "Paladin Danse? It is good to see you old friend." Danse smiled at Paladin Everhart and Cordova just watched the two of them. "The Elder has asked me to escort you back to the Prydwen, he wants to hear what happened from your mouth it seems." Cordova caught the slight British accent as Danse looked at her and then to Jay. "Any word on his arrival?" He nodded. "He should be docked and ready to receive you as we stand here." Cordova looked at Danse and at the back of the man's head. "I had hoped to bring the civilian that gave me a hand." Jay waved his hand and looked at Danse. "We don't have time to wait for this person. The Elder wants to talk to you now." Cordova stood up and shook her head. "Well then, I'm glad I packed light this time." Jay turned and was struck by her beauty, his gaze going down what she was wearing. "My eyes are up here, not on my chest." He jolted and looked at her. "My apologies. Is this?" Danse nodded. "The Elder is going to be either very pissed, or very surprised, and I am not sure which one it will be." She sighed and looked at Danse. "Habeo affectum ego calcitrando aliquis cruenta. (I have a feeling I am going to be kicking someone bloody.)" Both Jay and Danse looked at her confused. "You don't know so that saves me from the bail fees. I'm ready to go if you both are." Danse nodded and Jay looked at her. "Wait. Let me take your bag. A lady should never carry anything heavier than her hand bag." She jolted and looked at him, her eyes wide. "Did I say something wrong?" She shook her head. "No. A friend used to tell me that a long time ago." Jay looked at her. "And who may I ask was this wise man?" What she said next, blew everything up. "Roger. Roger Maxson. He was my God Father." Danse grabbed her and carried her to the roof, placing her gently in the waiting Vertibird and got on, Jay grabbing a radio and calling the Prydwen. With the sound of loud engines, she had no idea what was said, but the plane took off quickly.


	2. Ever hear of It Sounded Good at the Time?  Yeah, We'll Go with That.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Cordova and the Elder meet. Danse finds out what happens when she feels under attack. She tells the Elder some of her past with Roger and tells him things he never knew. Cordova shows everyone what happens when she is pushed. An announcement made causes Cordova to call Arthur's reasons into question.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is where I am going to break away from the dual story lines and start to focus on the relationship starting between Cordova, Arthur and Jay, and how that effects her movements and choices later on down the line.
> 
> Update/Edit 31.01.2021

Jay was watching her stunned. She was looking out the window and not saying a word. "What do you think?" She looked at Danse. "About?" He pointed to the buildings around her. "The view." She smiled. "We had planes before the War, Paladin. I did fly on one several times." Danse nodded and looked at her. "Eric." She looked at him. "What?" He chuckled. "My first name is Eric. Eric Wilhelm Danse." She nodded. "Cordova Elise Columbine." He held out his hand. "It nice to meet you." She laughed and it sent a spark of need through Jay. "You as well. But you really don't strike me as a man with that middle name." Danse laughed. "It was my grandfather's." He noticed the Prydwen and pointed at it. "That is the Prydwen. Our floating Citadel. If you see that coming, you know help has arrived." She shook her head. "No offense, but it looks like a floating metal blimp." Eric nodded. "It does look like that doesn't it?" They all felt the jolt of docking, and she watched Jay get out and walk away, leaving her bag on the seat next to him. She grabbed it and watched him walk up the stairs and inside, slipping the bag on her shoulder, Eric offered her his hand and she took it getting down. Being careful not to get stuck, Danse led her inside as he went to talk to the Captain. She watched a bunch of people walk into a room and stood at attention, all watching a man in the room with his back to them, as he turned he looked at every face in the room, she was leaning against the door frame, and when he got to her, she noticed the slight widening and then he looked at the others, she was still paying attention, but didn't hear a word he said, Cordova going over what happened with Arc-Jet, in case the man asked. It wasn't until a man brushed by her that she realized the speech was over and the man was looking at her. "I'm sorry, but what did you say?" He looked her over and she walked closer to him. "You are not what I was expecting when Paladin Danse told me he had help." She sighed. "Must be the heels. They inspire loyalty." He looked at her and shook his head. "You joke?" Cordova looked at him. "Only when I am in front of a Jury. Breaks the tension." He looked at her and then shook his head. "He finds a waste lander who is delusional. You can go now." She looked at him. "Wrong Skippy." He looked at her. "Excuse me? I am the Elder of the Brotherhood of Steel. You will talk to me with respect." She snorted. "And I am a woman who up until four days ago was trapped frozen in a fucking Vault for over two hundred and ten years. You want respect Elder, you have to earn it. I got the Paladin's when I saved him and his team when a pack of Feral Ghouls thought they'd make a great meal. I got it when I kicked your Knight through a fucking wall when his dumb ass thought it was a great idea to spit at me. You want to play Fuck-Fuck Games Elder? Well I hope you can read the rules and may the odds be ever in your favor." She turned on her heel and noticed Danse in the door way, his eyes wide. "And the hits just keep on coming don't they? Paladin, I'm sorry of you heard any of that, but I can see that this? This isn't going to work out." She walked by him and he grabbed her arm. Feeling the threat, she flipped him onto his back and placed her foot on his throat.

Arthur looked at her, and Eric was just stunned. When her vision cleared, she looked down at Danse as the reality of what happened hit her. "Shit. Paladin." She moved her foot and helped him to his feet. She was babbling and Danse put his arms on her shoulders. "That was my fault. I shouldn't have grabbed you. Now I can say I now know how Rhys felt. I am just glad you didn't kick me through the wall." She laughed as he glared at Arthur. "She is right Elder. And I would be glad that she is willing to help us." Arthur looked at her as Jay walked in and whispered something in his ear, both men looking at her. "Have you verified?" Jay nodded. "Paladin, you may go. It seems the young lady and I have a few things to discuss." She looked at Danse who saluted and walked away, leaving her at the mercy of the two men glaring at her. "I was brought here so don't look at me like I am somehow going to take your favorite toy away Elder." He looked at her. "Arthur." She shook her head. "Don't care. What I do care about? Is the fact that the two of you are looking at me like I am a specimen under a microscope. I hated it the first time and I am not willing to do it again." He looked at Jay who shrugged. "You seem to think that I give one flying fuck about what you are about to say Elder, but I somehow cannot work up the ability to listen and or care. Not my circus, not my monkey." She turned on her heel and Arthur looked at her back. "You will stay right there and we will have this conversation. You move and there will be an issue." She turned, looked at him and wiggled her hips. "Your move Skippy. But keep in mind of what just happened to Danse. I know more ways, more... lethal ways of dealing with men like you." Arthur stopped short and looked at her. "You will do what I say, or there will be a problem." She snorted. "I don't take orders from a man that has more ego than brain cells. You want me to respect you, then give me a good fucking reason, because right now pretty boy, your on thin ice and it's cracking under your boots." She leaned against the door and put her right heel in front of her left and looked at her nails. "I would think the Knights in the hallway would have better things to do an eavesdrop on the Elder's conversation. You all have three seconds to get the fuck out of the area, or he's gonna be pissed and none of you will be happy." Knights scattered as Jay kissed Arthur, Cordova watching it, not saying a word. "I so love using that voice. Scared witnesses shitless when I used it." Arthur looked at her and walked over, his hands out in surrender. "I think we may have gotten off on the wrong foot." She looked at him and read what was there. "No. Really? You don't say? Tell me something else I had no clue about. Most men would be thanking me for saving his team, but you don't strike me that way. For you? The only thing you care about is how you want the people on this floating metal blimp to see you. Like they are going to vote you out being Prom King. Went to one, not too impressed. You really can't use fear to control people. Look around you Elder. That is what happened the last time a moron with a God Complex tried." He nodded. "Agreed. My friend and the field report I received from Paladin Danse says that you were a Vault Dweller." Cordova nodded. "Pretty much as the report says, and says you don't listen. I mentioned that already." He nodded. "But my friend says that you knew Roger Maxson?" She nodded. "You speak like its past tense. I know Roger Maxson. I know what kind of man he is." Arthur looked at her. "How so?" She rolled her eyes hard enough to see her brain and she looked at him, her gaze traveling down him. "The holotags you wear around your neck were his idea. He was tired of waiting until day light to find the men who perished on the battle field. The laws I assume you follow, were drawn up by him, using UCMJ, otherwise known as the Uniform Code of Military Justice as a basis for them. The way you have women in your ranks. Women were not allowed to enlist in the Military unless they were nurses. Everything about this place screams of Roger's influence. I dare you to tell me I am wrong." He couldn't because she was right. "Thought so. Let me make one thing crystal clear. You don't trust me, and I really out of fucks to give about what you think about me, how you think about me, or why you think about me. Your ego is not my concern. What is? You twisting the memory of a man who raised me. THAT is what I have a problem with and if he were here, he'd had the very same issue." He walked over to her and held up a picture. She glanced at it and smiled. "I was wondering what happened to this. Where did you find it?" Arthur sighed. "In a book. I know who you are. I have spent my life looking for you." Her teal eyes met his and she scanned them finding hope. He got down on one knee and took her hand. "It is my honor to serve the First Lady of Steel in any way that she needs." Cordova looked at Jay who was in the same position. "Do what now? I am not the First Lady of anything. I'm just Cordova, a pre-war Sleepless." Both men stood and looked at her. "Pardon?" She looked at Jay. "What?" Arthur looked at her. "What did you say after your name?" She sighed. "That I'm pre-war Sleepless? Pretty sure that was mentioned somewhere." Arthur nodded and walked over to the door, shutting it. "You need to explain how that happened." She sighed and knew this was about to get ugly.

She walked over to the couch, sitting down, and slipping her shoes off. "Should have done that ages ago." Jay and Arthur heard the moan and they pulled chairs closer to her. "I would rather not if possible." Arthur and Jay both looked at her, and she was aware that they were angry. "It takes way too much time to explain and it's getting late." Arthur and Jay both looked at her and she sighed. "Don't say I didn't warn you. There is a lot to get out, so you both need to ask questions after I'm done talking." When both heads nodded, she looked at the wall. "There were twenty of us created. Scientists wanted to create the perfect solider. One that blended mind and machine, but Cybernetics were not that widely used. And the surgery was invasive, and highly dangerous. So as they thought about the problem, they wondered what would happen in they started removing genes. The first was the Sleep Gene. Volunteers were sought after and my parents wanted that for me. For me to be better than they ever could be, to create, to exist. Not for them, but for me. My mom had her eggs harvested and only one proved viable. So they removed the Sleep Gene and through a process called IVF, I was created. When I was born, nineteen of them were male and already in their late teens. No one had any idea that I was female until I was born, because they could never get a clear picture of me to see. When I was born, there was celebrating the fact that out of all these males, I was the first and only female. People were pissed and called it 'playing God with people's genes'. After all the back lash, the project stopped. But every year, the guys and I would go to the lab and have our blood checked and a spinal tap. They had to sedate me for my first one because I was two and it was scary. It kept going until I was twelve and too busy with school to go to the lab. From what I know, the men all died in the War. I was a little girl and one day, Roger came to my day school, picked me up and in the easiest way possible, told me my parents were gone. But it's hard to explain death to a two year old I guess. I just thought my parents were on a really long trip. They found the plane a year later, they had crashed into the side of a mountain. I became one of the stupidly rich at three and even though the press was foaming at the mouth for a picture of me, Roger shielded me from that. My mom came from very old money and so did my dad, but Roger made sure that my money was a tool to help me, and allow me to help others. And I did." She closed her eyes and sighed, the feeling of grief hitting her like a tidal wave. "And now you know. The people calling me a freak, and a mistake still run through my head and they make me wonder why they did this? Was it to show that they could? Or is it because of what they wanted for me?" Arthur looked at her. "Both? Maybe they knew that what you learned would go on and be the next thing discovered. How old were you with you met the others?" She sighed. "Twelve. We only met once and that was enough for me. The men acted like I didn't exist, and I was ok with that. But it sucked that they would talk to each other and not to me. I remember it was two in the morning, a week before college started and I had pulled out a book and was reading. One of the men walked over and laughed. He asked if I knew what the book was about. I looked at him and told him I doubted he would even understand it. So he took the book out of my hands and tried to read it. He tossed it at my feet and asked what language that was. Told him it was Latin and was fluent in it at the age of four. Several of them were impressed, but that guy? He scared me and since I was a minor, they had people in the room in case things went wrong. They didn't, but they guy kept circling around me, muttering how I was a perfect waste of the process. I was sixteen, and I got a call from the jail saying that I was needed. I got there and this man, was raging and screaming for a lawyer. I walked in and he stopped, looked at me, and shut up. He was in trouble for a bar fight he had nothing to do with starting, but he was defending his sister. At the end of the day, all charges were dropped and as we were walking out, he thanked me and apologized for the way he was four years prior. I had let it go and he died not too long after that. A sniper's bullet caught him in the neck." She rolled her neck and sighed, looking at Jay. "I don't have anything to ask." She stood up and slipped her shoes on, walking to the door. "I will let you two talk." She closed the door and noticed Danse standing there.

He looked at her and grinned. "You ok?" She nodded. "I'm good. Just told the Elder everything. And it still feels weird. Now what happens is in his hands." Danse offered her his arm. "You hungry?" She laughed. "Sometimes." He nodded. "Good the cook made chicken pot pie and they are amazing. Let's eat." He led her down the hall as Jay and Arthur thought about what she said. "What do we do now? She is here and by Law the First Lady of Steel. You answer to her." Arthur nodded. "I know, but the look on her face was not what I was expecting. It was like she was shocked." Jay nodded. "Let's go have dinner, heard the cook made pot pie." Arthur led Jay out and they made their way to the dining hall. Cordova was standing with Danse and a few Knights when Arthur and Jay walked in. After getting their trays, Cordova was scanning the room, seeing a Scribe in trouble. She raced ten tables down and caught the Scribe as she seized. Laying her flat on the floor, she made sure nothing happened as Danse ran for Cade. When the Scribe stopped breathing, Cordova shut out the sounds around her, pulling her knife out of her back pocket and reaching up for a straw. Cade walked in right as she was making the incision for the straw and he was impressed. Getting air into the Scribe, she slowly opened her eyes. "Stay calm and just breathe, I am going to roll you on your side so I can make sure to stabilize you. You had a seizure, now blink once for yes, and twice for no, but has this ever happened before?" The Knight blinked once. Cade brought over a back board, and Cordova slid it under the Scribe and strapped her down to it. "Ok. Has this happened more that once?" The one blink made her nod. "Is there a family history of this?" The one blink made her smile. "I am going to have you taken to the Medical Bay and I will be right here with you." A few Knights grabbed the handles as the room erupted in cheering and applause. She didn't react to it, she just walked out with the Scribe. Getting to the Medical Bay, Cade was calling the shots and she watched him work on the scared Scribe. Walking over, she held the Scribes hand. "Just breathe, I am going to take the straw out so you can get a Stimpak. Just look in my eyes and see the ocean in them." She removed the straw and she never stopped looking at the Scribe. Cade got a Stimpak in the girl and she started breathing again. "Have her rest here for twenty-four hours, and monitor all her vitals. I think she is photosensitive, and the lights don't help." She walked out of the Medical Bay, going back to the Dining Hall, where people looked at her and cheered again, her small smile visible. Arthur walked over and held up a hand. "You have one favor to use, no questions asked." She nodded and looked at him. "Don't make me First Lady of Steel." She said it low enough that only he could hear her. "Why?" She shook her head. "Because no one knows except you, your friend Jay, Danse, Rhys, and Haylen. These people have no idea. And I am not ready for the pitchforks and torches. If you can't, delay it for as long as you can." He nodded and walked away, Danse walking over to her, holding out a plate, the pot pie hot on the plate. "The cook made sure this was still hot for you. You saved his daughter." Cordova blushed a faint pink and let Danse lead her to the table.

An hour after dinner, she was sitting in the meeting room staring out the window, feeling someone in the room with her. "How did you know what was happening?" She looked over at the man. "Pre-war Doctor. Will she be ok?" He nodded and left her alone. She was watching the sun set as Arthur walked in surprised to see her there. "You ok?" She nodded. "Numquam mihi vita foret, sicut est hodie. Non certus sum ego volo etiam in hac vita. (I never thought my life would be like this. I am not sure I even want this life.)" She drew her knees to her chest and wrapped her arms around her knees. "You think too much." She glared at him. "And you don't plan enough. There are things coming that not even I understand. Your speech? About being here, doesn't make sense to me. Is it to prove a point? Wage a war the world has never seen before? Or is it because you feel like a little boy who has to prove he belongs on the play ground with the bigger boys? Because I can tell you this. At a feast of egos people walk away hungry." Arthur sighed. "I want to keep the world safe. After the destruction the world has seen? It's needed." She looked at him and then shook her head. "Do not throw sterile rationalization's at me. I am a Lawyer, I can do them a whole lot better. What you are doing? There is no logic to it. But when has war ever been logical?" He sat down beside her. "Look, I'm sorry if I upset you. That is not my intent. You have had a hard few days and if you need to yell at someone, I can take it." She looked up at him. "I can't stay angry for long. Never have been able to. When they removed the gene, we were calmer than our peers. Not sure why and I never asked." He nodded and held out his hand. "You like to dance?" She looked at him. "The Paladin, or to music?" He laughed. "Both." He walked over to the radio and turned it on, walking back to her. "Yes." He pulled her into his arms and swayed with her. "I seen the kiss Elder." He nodded. "I know. You seemed upset about it." She sighed as he dipped her. "Not really. Two of the Senior Partners of the Law firm were married and they were both men. Bought them a silver gravy boat and a years supply of groceries. Before things were rationed anyway." The song ended just as Jay walked in. "You seem to be getting along better." Arthur nodded and looked down at Cordova. "I am declaring a truce. I don't want to fight with you. But I am here to protect you." She shook her head and looked at him. "I get the reason." He looked at her confused. "What do you mean?" She sighed. "You see me as a link to Roger. A man I knew since birth, but you don't know a single thing about the man that founded the Brotherhood of Steel. I get it. Hell, if I found out that you knew something about my family, I would be asking for every detail. It's normal, and I get it. But the relationship I have with Roger is personal, and means everything to me." She felt Arthur tense and sighed. "You are a lot like him. The way you carry yourself, the way you are focused on one thing, and even when you're pissed, you are trying to find a diplomatic way to get the information you want, without really saying that's what you want." She smiled and looked at him.

"He made sure that family came first. When my parents died, his sons were excited because they were getting a baby sister who liked to run and tumble and do boy things. They had already met me, but in that small snapshot of time, I was three and scared. A few weeks after I got there, we had a routine down, and one Saturday, the boys were playing and I was just watching because I didn't know if they would share. One of the boys walked over with a truck and put it in my hands I had no idea what to do. He ran out and told Roger I took the truck out of his hands. The two other boys had no idea what was going on, but they knew he was lying. Roger came huffing in and looked at me, the boys telling him what happened and Roger just stood there, watching me. I set the truck on the floor and sat down in a chair and waited for him to yell at me. I may have shut down, didn't say a word. Roger listened as his wife walked in, picked me up, and took me to the most expensive toy store. They closed the place down just for me and I got a few baby dolls. When I found the trucks, I bought all of them including a blue truck. I held on to it like it was a lifeline. When we got back, I held out the truck and he took it. He became my biggest Ally and strongest defender. When I was in college, he would come once a month and we'd go for ice cream and talk about what was going on. I was pushing toward finals and we met up like we did every month and this mom walked in to see us talking and sharing a sundae as big as the table. She huffed and said that I shouldn't be dating when I was too young. I watched him stand up and rip that lady a new one. Asked her what business of hers if he came to see his baby sister who was in college and that she needed to get over herself and stay out of people's business. She was banned from the store. And that was the first time I heard him call me his sister." Arthur looked at her. "Wow." She nodded. "He died in the war and Roger was leveled. It took them two days to find his body because where he was, it was hard to see. That's why your tags glow in the dark. Without saying a word to anyone, I bought the best resting spot for him, and paid for the headstone. Roger knew I did that, but didn't say a word to his wife. I had engraved on his head stone 'He was one of the best. A best friend, and one of the best brothers in the world'. And it was true. Family isn't just about bloodlines Elder. It's about who you allow in your heart. Now that is what a family is. That's the family you come from. And I would trade a year of my life for one hour with Roger." Arthur looked at her. "You are going to do well here. If Roger was anything to go by, you will have the Brotherhood of Steel ready for war in no time." She looked at him. "War? What war?" He looked at her. "We are going to launch an all out war against the Institute." She felt the room spin and gripped his arm. "You ok?" She nodded. "Fine. Just didn't realize you were moving this quickly." The call signaling the end of the day was heard and she looked at Arthur and Jay. "You both should get ready for bed." Jay walked over and looked at her. "Your upset." She sighed. "I'm fine. Just worried about someone." Both men looked at her. "Who?" Jay asked. On a sigh, she looked at him. "Nate. He is looking for his newborn son." Arthur looked down at her. "Wait. He came out with you?" She nodded. "Find him and bring him here. I want to know what he knows." Jay walked out as she looked at him. "I will not have your lover's paraded around on this ship." She looked at him as he walked away. "And this your Honor is how the fight really started." He looked at her confused. "What are you talking about?" She rolled her eyes and watched as Jay walked back in the room. "Nate was never anything more than my best friend. He met this girl named Holly. They got married and had a baby boy named Shaun. I never felt anything for him, other than wanting to toss his ass into a wood chipper most days, but I think I should point out that men didn't date me for me. It was having their name in the papers, you know because I was the only heir to the Columbine fortune, and the only female Sleepless. It was never about me, but what they wanted. Fame, the clout that came with taking me out to dinner that I paid for." She walked over to the couch misery in her tone. "Guess that's what made me a good Lawyer. I could read a man's intentions in three seconds. Sucks when you can find out a guy only wants a shallow reason to date you and High Society means big money. My name opened doors, and I mean what man in his right mind would be stupid enough to pass that up?" She sat down. "I mean why get to fake feelings for someone if your not going to see anything other than dollar signs. But Nate, he didn't care about my money, my name, he cared for me. The person behind the name. He was there to make sure I was ok if a case went wrong, he was there to tell me how his day was. And no, I never had those types of feelings for him." Arthur nodded and walked over to her. "I'm sorry. I assumed you two were lovers." She looked at him. "I have never had a lover and I am not sure I want one. Too much work. And what if he catches feelings? Can you imagine? I can see it now. 'Don't think about that. You need to focus on me. What you want doesn't fit in my plans.' Yeah? No. I'd rather be alone than have to deal with the man who thinks he can do what he wants and make sure I am tucked into a corner and not see the shady things he does." Jay snickered. "What if you found a guy that put you first? Would that change your mind?" She shook her head. "No." He looked at her. "Why?" She pinched the bridge of her nose. "Because I will out live any man I get with. I'm Sleepless, so not wanting to mourn the man I love isn't worth it." She stood up, walked out, and left the two men alone, needing to release the anger she felt building.

She walked around lost in thought, the Knights on the night shift watching her, and for once, she didn't care what anyone thought or had to say to her. Hearing grunts, she walked into a room and felt her jaw drop. "Ma'am, you can't be in here." She looked up and took a step back as a man three times her size walked over. "Why?" He smiled and held his hands up. "This is a gym and I am not sure you can handle it?" She laughed. "You'd be surprised. I just need a spot to do yoga." He looked at her and sighed. "Ok. Clothes are in the locker, if you need anything, just holler out alright?" She smiled at him and looked at the boxing ring. "He keeps dropping his left." The man turned and looked at who she was referring to. "We keep trying to get him to stop, but he doesn't listen." She nodded. "You could always tie his right hand to his belt loop. Makes him fight left handed." The man nodded. "I'm John by the way." He held out his hand and she shook it. "Cordova. Well, I will let you get back to what you were doing." He chuckled. "If you ever come back and the guys give you a hard time, let me know and I will take care of them." She smiled and looked him in the eyes. "I doubt I'd need your help, but thanks for the offer." She walked to the lockers and found what she needed, the men in the room silent. Walking into the shower room, she changed her clothes and walked back out. She found space and started her yoga routine, not paying attention to what was going on. Standing in the 'Crane' pose a Knight walked over and she ignored him. "Wonder how flexible you are and if you can take me." She ignored him and he kept talking. "I have to wonder if you can do those poses during sex. I mean your body is banging and I would love to make you moan." She opened her eyes and looked at him. "You'll never know. Come near me again, the Elder will be notified and I have no idea what will happen to you." He looked at her and chuckled. "The Elder won't even know." She smirked and looked at him, glancing over to see Danse walking in. "Hey Paladin." The man in front of her stiffened. "Paladin. How's your back feeling?" He laughed and walked over. "I had know idea how you did it, but the landing popped my back. Still have the small heel mark though." She sighed. "And I am still sorry about what happened. My brain sensed danger and you were the one who got hurt." He laughed. "I should have realized the situation." She sighed. "Grew up learning hand to hand fighting and several forms of Martial Arts. I hold a third degree Black Belt in Kempo." Danse nodded. "That's impressive." The man next to her snickered. "Who in the hell did a waste lander learn all this?" She rolled her eyes and ignored him. "I figured you'd be in bed Paladin? Can't sleep?" The man looked at her. "You can sleep in my bed. Not sure we'd be sleeping though." She looked at the Paladin and without a word, the man was kicked toward the boxing ring and the men just stared at her. He got up and ran at her, and she broke his nose with a well placed punch and the men heard his knee pop as she dislocated it, his scream of pain causing a few Knights to run in. "Don't even. This young lady was defending herself and she will not be held on charges. The Paladin was with her and he chose to let her handle it." The Knights stood down as Cordova looked at the man, and he whimpered. "If you EVER talk to any woman on this ship the way you talked to me, remember this. I know how to make the mere thought of sex a very painful act." She walked away, John walking up to her. "I will let the Elder know what happened and that you know what you're doing. He's been a problem for a while now." She looked at John. "Yet, the Elder keeps him here? Why?" Arthur stepped up to her. "He knows how to read a map. John? You never leave the Gym. Was there a problem?" He nodded. "Jason decided to target our new recruit. She took care of it, but I doubt he'll be the same." Arthur looked at her and she sighed. "Kicked him to the boxing ring, because he was trying to tell me all the ways he wanted he to take him. Correct me if I'm wrong, but his comment was of a sexual nature." John nodded. "Ok. And since I was not interested, nor talking to him, minding my own business, he thought it would be a good idea to hit on me with the Paladin in the room. Who again correct me if I am wrong, heard every word and Jason inserted himself into our conversation." John sighed. "You are right." "So as a woman on this ship, am I not afforded the same rights to the men on this ship, should they have the same done to them?" John had no idea where she was going with this, but knew the Elder was pissed. "I agree. There are laws in the CODEX that speak about this." She nodded. "I see. So if I were defending myself against an attack of a sexual nature, who would have been punished?" John looked at her and smiled. "The one to attacked you. He offered you nothing but insult and I am surprised you didn't break his jaw." She laughed. "Knees are a weaker point on the body. Plus you dislocate it, hurts like a bitch for a lot longer. But then again, I heal quicker than most. Broke three of my toes kicking my desk after a juror pissed me off, healed within minutes." Arthur stood there stunned, ignored by the two of them, and he had no idea what was going on. "You should rest John. In fact, I have no idea why the Elder is still awake." Arthur looked at her and then to John. "I can handle things from here." He looked at Cordova and sighed. "I think he was impressed." She looked at him. "Who? I mean Danse has seen what I can do." Arthur sighed. "John. He is hard on the Knights when he trains them, and whatever you did, impressed him." She sighed. "I defended myself from an attack. Nothing more, nothing less. Was there a reason you wanted to talk to me?" He nodded. "We have your room ready and I wanted to show you." She nodded as he offered her his arm. "Right this way." She let him lead her to a door, and he opened it. Seeing the room made her sigh. "It's perfect thank you. Although we know I don't need the bed." Arthur nodded as Jay walked out of the room. "It's in case you want to relax." She nodded. "Where in the UK are you from?" Jay looked at her. "What was London." She nodded. "Figured." He looked at her, walking over. "Beg Pardon?" She sighed. "You have that upper class look and that's not a bad thing." Jay nodded and walked out of the room, Arthur doing the same. She sat on the bed and wondered what Nate was doing and how he was handling things.

She had music playing on her Pip-Boy humming when all of the lights turned on and the Boson call was heard. "Are you trying to wake the dead? Because if so, I don't think they heard you in Alaska." She shook her head to stop the ringing and looked out the window. She was still in her workout clothes, and got off the bed, walking to the bathroom wanting a long hot shower. The pounding on her door made her walk over and answer it, Arthur looking sleep rumpled and angry. "Do you think you can keep the noise down?" She took a step back as he pushed by her. When he did, she caught the whiskey on his breath and knew he was drunk. "I'm sorry? The volume on my Pip-Boy wasn't that loud. No higher than two actually." He walked to the couch and flopped down on it. "I think you and I need some ground rules." She looked at him, ready to hear him out. "Ok." He sighed. "From the hours of ten pm to six am you are not allowed to leave this room. If you do, I will find out. You are to have the lights out during that time as well. A small lamp is fine, but there are nights lights used for a reason. You are to meet the crew and find out what they do here. You had a brief conversation with Cade yesterday. You will help out when and where I say. You will do what you can for the Brotherhood, and follow my orders to the letter. You will not talk back in any way. Sarcasm will be treated as a sign of disrespect and will be handled accordingly. Do you have an issue with these rules?" She shook her head. "Basically don't leave this room until you yank the string you seem to think I have on my back. Got it. You can go now so I can take a shower." She walked away and went back to the bathroom. Arthur got up and stumbled to his Quarters, hit the bed and passed out. When she was done, she walked out dressed and brushing her hair. Spotting Jay, she sighed. "Let me guess, you have a set of rules for me as well?" He looked up from the book he was reading at looked at her confused. "No. Should I?" She sighed, braiding her hair and put it in a bun, the hair sticks keeping it from moving. "No, it just seems funny that your Elder did, but being drunk on duty is not something taken lightly." Jay sighed. "I will talk to him." She held up a hand. "Don't. I can handle my own fights and I don't need you to make things worse." The knock on her door made her look up, it opened to a Scribe pushing a cart in. "Ma'am? Breakfast." She looked at the Scribe. "No thanks, but I will take the coffee if you have any?" The young woman nodded, setting a pot on the table, grabbing sugar and cream placing them next to it. "Will that be all Ma'am?" She nodded. "Yes thank you. Oh and can you tell the cook, I will be taking my meals here in my Quarters? Just until I get my bearings?" The Scribe nodded, leaving her and Jay alone. "Before you say a word, I don't eat breakfast and haven't for a long time. So no. My life is my own and I do not think the Elder has realized the insult he offered me. He wants me to be the First Lady of Steel? Until he talks to me like I am a person and not a cog in his fucking machine, there is nothing I wish to say to him. Feel free to pass along that message. Now please go. I need to get things done." Jay looked at her, wanting just to talk. "Look, I just came to talk, but I can wait until you are calmer." She snorted. "I doubt that. For the record, I don't want to be involved in this game you and the Elder are playing. I'm not a chess piece and your not opposing Kings on the Chess Board. You want a pawn? Go find one and leave me out of it." Jay nodded and walked to the door. "I am sorry I bothered you Treacle." He opened it and walked out. She walked over and locked it, keeping the rest of the drama out of the room with her.

Six hours later, Arthur woke up with a raging hangover, and his head feeling like it was trapped in a vice. Seeing the pain blocker and water, he took them and sighed, wondering what in the hell happened after the bottle of whiskey. "You have a hangover and I think you need to stop drinking so much." He looked up to see Jay sitting at his desk. "I have no idea what you said to her, but she is pissed and quite frankly, so am I." Arthur sat up slowly and shook his head. "What did I say to her?" Jay sighed. "I have no idea, but she said you gave her a set of rules to follow. She wanted me to tell that until you talk her like a person and not a cog in your machine, she wants no part of being the First Lady of Steel. Her words, not mine. I get it. You had a rough past, but did you ever think that she did too? I found some of Quinlan's documents and what I've read? Turns my stomach. She was called a mistake by a lot of people because of who she was, what she was. She had one of her cases destroyed because a jury member found out that she was Sleepless and let a murderer go free. She had every case gone over to make sure that she didn't taint the jury pool. All because of what she is Arthur. And you are treating her the same way they did." Arthur nodded as the rules came back to him. "I will talk to her." Jay held up his hand. "Don't. You will only make things worse. She has a right to be angry, and you don't see it." They heard a door open and close, her voice carrying down the hall way. Jay got up and walked to the door and opened it, her hand raised to knock. "Good, your both here. I wanted to inform the Elder that I was going to the Gym to work out. I need to get my ten mile run in or I get lazy." She turned around and walked away, not waiting for a response. "Tell her I am sorry and that the rules were a mistake." Jay stood up and walked out, watching her skip down the hallway on the eight inch heels she was wearing. When she got to the Gym, she bumped into John, who laughed and caught her. "You ok there?" She laughed. "I'm good. You?" He laughed. "I'm good. So you gonna do yoga?" She nodded. "Yeah. Just need to clear my head of somethings." He nodded and pointed to a spot. "All yours and the men have been told very sternly to leave you alone." She nodded. "Thanks. Well, I will let you get back to training. Oh, before I forget, how is the Knight doing on not dropping his left?" John laughed. "Two hits and he realized what we have been telling him." She laughed and walked away, taking the hour to do her workout, the Knights and Scribes watching. She walked over to the treadmill and programmed a run and let her mind wander, John walking over. When he noticed the distance, he walked away letting her do her thing. When she was done, she was panting a little and wiped the sweat off her face. "Who died? Because this room is way too silent. Reminds me of a funeral." She walked out and the men started talking again, John shaking his head. "Instead of watching her, forget that she's here. She is a new recruit just like you all were once." Jay walked in hoping to find her, but came up empty. Hearing her laugh, he noticed she was with Proctor Ingram. "I forget I'm wearing them actually." Ingram noticed Jay walking over. "But how? Those are making me ache for you." Cordova laughed. "Breaking them in is painful, but that's the only part that hurts." Ingram nodded and walked away, Cordova cocking her head to the side. "Proctor?" Ingram turned. "Yeah?" She smiled. "Me wearing heels is a lot like you in that Armor. You forget it's there sometimes." Ingram laughed and walked away, Cordova inhaling Jay's cologne. "What did you need?" Jay walked around and she looked at him. "He said the rules were a mistake and he was sorry." She sighed. "Fine. But my rule, still stands." She walked away from him and went to meet the rest of the crew.

She walked into the Medical Bay and just watched him work. "I will be with you in a minute. Just writing some notes." She smiled and shuddered. "I hated that part. Too much to write on one page." He looked at her and his eyes went wide. "You. You saved the Scribe. She was sent with an anti-seizure med and her dad is keeping an eye on her." Cordova nodded. "That's good. I'm glad she's ok." Cade nodded. "What can I do for you?" She sighed. "I was asked to meet the crew and see how they did things, so that lead me here. To you." He smiled. "Alright. I have a few things I need to ask and I hope you answer them as honestly as possible." She nodded. "I'm pretty much an open book." Cade grabbed a file and sighed. "Have you ever had radiation sickness? Major illnesses?" She shook her head. "No, we never had that problem before the war." He looked at her and carried on. "Have you ever had any type of sexual relations with anything other than human?" She looked at him. "That happens a lot here?" He nodded. "You'd be surprised." She snorted. "The answer is no, I never had any type of relations like that even with a man." He looked at her. "That's interesting." She sighed. "Not really. It's complicated anyway." He sighed. "Would you lay down your life for your brother's and sister if you had to? Against any threat they face?" She looked at him. "That's more of a moral question, but the answer is yes." Cade looked at her. "You are healthier than anyone on this ship. I am clearing you for duty." She nodded and he looked at her. "I have to ask? But how did you know what happened to her?" Cordova sighed. "I went to Medical School." She left him standing there stunned and he wrote his report on her, sending a digital copy to Arthur, wondering how someone so young went to Medical School.

Cordova done with the meetings, walked back to her room and locked the door, just needing peace and quiet. "I need to talk to you. About what I said." She jumped out of her skin and looked at Arthur. "Fuck! Can you just leave me the fuck alone for twenty-four fucking hours? You have made how you feel crystal fucking clear Elder and I am not in the mood for both your ego and attitude. There is the door. Lock it before you leave." She walked to the bathroom and closed the door. "You are acting like a child Cordova." She opened the door and looked at him. "A child? I'm sorry, but you walk out of a Vault, find yourself in a fucked up nightmare, meet a man who thinks leading with ego is a really good way to go, find out he is a direct descendant of a man who loved and raised you, and then? Then you can tell me how the fuck to feel." He stood up and walked over to her. "I'm sorry." She shook her head. "You are right. You have had your life ripped away and instead of offering support, I act like you should know all of this. How things are done. You are more than a cog Cordova." She looked at him. "Seems he can pass a message. Look, I'm not going to keep locking horns with you because quite frankly I am exhausted. And that's funny coming from a woman who can't sleep. I have no idea where I stand here, but I can already tell that I won't like it. It was a mistake coming here and I can see that now." He stared her her shocked. "You can't just leave! I have a feeling people find out, you will be a target." She snorted. "I took down a Death Claw. Robots that look like people. If this Institute wants me, not even this ship can stop that." Arthur looked at her. "You what?" She shook her head. "Not important." He shook her. "Death Claws are killing machines and you just killed one? What were you thinking?" She sighed. "That I wasn't about to be eaten by a dinosaur? And I like breathing on the regular. It was kind of cute though." He let go of her and pinched the bridge of his nose. "You like attracting trouble don't you?" She rolled her eyes. "I really didn't have any choice when I fell off the roof. I think Nate may have had a stroke when it happened. Or a litter of kittens. Point is, I killed it, and walked away. While you are freaking out for no other reason than you can. You know what you are doing, and I? I lost the guide book that tells me what to do." She walked away from him and went to the door. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I have things to do that do not involve you." She held the door open and looked at him. "Please leave." Arthur walked over, looked at her, thought better of what he was going to say, and left. When she locked the door, she hoped he would leave her alone.

Her stomach rumbled and she sighed. "Get your head together Cordova. He can't win. You are Sleepless and you got this." She grabbed a change of clothes out of her bag, took a shower and dressed, brushing her hair and leaving it down, the length brushing the middle of her back, the red color looking like a flame. She walked out and made her way to the dining room, the eye of every man going to her hair. "I need to know what you are allergic to." She smiled at the cook. "I'm not allergic to anything. But I don't like crab. They taste like dirt." The cook nodded and made her a plate, passing it to her. "I thank you for saving my daughter. Come back when you are finished and I will make you the best dessert you have ever tasted." Cordova narrowed her eyes, and smiled. "If you say that it's a fresh brownie out of the oven covered in chocolate so that when you use a fork, the chocolate runs down the sides, you have a deal." The cook nodded. "How did you know?" She smiled. "I can smell chocolate from ten miles away." He laughed and she walked to an empty table, Arthur and Jay watching her. She pulled up a book on her Pip-Boy and was reading, the tapping of a spoon against the glass making her look up to see Arthur standing, Cordova started to fill with dread. "If I can have everyone's attention. I have a few announcements to make. We have a new member of the Brotherhood of Steel. She was a Vault Dweller as the rumors you heard are true. Her name is Cordova, so please treat her with respect. As many of you are aware, the CODEX also states that when she was found, she be given the highest rank befitting who she is, so without drawing it out further, I am happy to announce that Cordova is the First Lady of Steel, and may we all support her in her job." People clapped as she stood up and walked out, leaving the room, her meal untouched. Everyone looked at Arthur and he ran out after her, catching up to her. When she stopped, he seen the tears on her hand. "Cordova." She turned and looked at him. "You should have added that I'm Sleepless too Arthur. I asked you NOT TO DO THIS, and you went against MY WISHES. So stop." He looked at her. "I did this for you." She shook her head. "No. Let's get one thing clear here. You did this for YOU, and what YOU wanted. Screw the fact that I asked you not to. You call me a child. You might want to look in the mirror, and look at the reflection." She walked into her room, and locked the door, sliding down it, just wanting to be alone.


	3. This was Never Covered in Law School.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Cordova freezes Jay and Arthur out and they both wonder how long she can keep it up. Danse makes her laugh and he reminds her of a Professor she once had. Taking Danse to her home, he sees how she is and it makes him realize she is trying to hold it together for everyone around her. 
> 
> Update/Edit 31.01.2021

The next morning, Arthur was pounding on her door and she still refused to open it. "I need you to open this door right now! You are acting like a spoiled brat. If you don't, I will take it off the hinges and everyone will be able to watch you." The door still stayed closed as Arthur stared at it. "Arthur, you are going about this the wrong way. Give the girl space. You dropped a bomb in her lap and she needs time to adjust." He looked at Jay. "I did no such thing and we both know it." Jay pulled Arthur away from the door right as Danse walked up. Rapping on the door lightly, the locks disengaged, she opened it and her face lit up. "Paladin, please come in. I am going to own your soul this time." Danse laughed and walked in, the door closing and locked. Her laugh carried through and both men walked to the door listening. "CHEATER! You cheated!" Danse laughed and said something they couldn't make out. Both men walked away wondering what they could do for her to forgive them. When they walked into the dining hall, the people wouldn't look at him. "That poor girl. His announcement made me cringe. What was he thinking? Springing it on her like that? He should have told her privately and announced it WITH her permission, or at least let her say it." Arthur flinched and knew they were right. After getting his tray, the cook looked at him. "She refuses all meals, but coffee. Cade needs to talk to her." Arthur nodded, the list about her growing. "Thank you for telling me. I will make sure Cade is made aware." Arthur walked away and the guilt crashed into him, again.

Eric looked at her, and then to his cards. "Put up or Shut up Paladin." She laughed and he looked at her. Placing all he had in the center of the table, he grinned at her. "All in." She pushed her in as well and smiled. "What ya got?" He fanned his cards out. "Full house. Read them and weep." She looked at him. "Yeah, you might need a tissue Eric, because a straight flush beats a full house." She laid her cards out and his jaw dropped. "Want the tissue?" He looked at her. "How?" She smiled. "Roger liked to play, and he taught me. Besides, your missing dinner." He looked at the clock and sighed. "Join me?" She shook her head. "No thanks. Don't like being gawked at." Eric shook his head. "Be the better person. Act like what he said, doesn't matter. Hell, your the same Cordova that killed the Feral Ghouls at the Police Station, you are the same girl that walked with me into Arc-Jet, killed a ton of Synth's, fixed the radio tower, came here, faced down the Elder. Who cares that you are the First Lady of Steel? I don't. I see you as my friend." She nodded. "Ok. Let's do this. Get your war face ready." She schooled her features and crossed her eyes, Eric roaring with laughter. "Now that's more like it." She giggled as Eric led her out of the room and took her to the dining hall. When she stepped into the room, conversations carried on and people didn't react to her being there, sure a few looked, but conversations still flowed around her. Grabbing a tray, she was served dinner, the cook adding extra to the plate. "That's way too much." He shook his head and pointed at her waist. "You lost two pounds. Make sure to put them back on. Getting sick won't make things better." She bowed her head and sighed. "Ok." She walked the tray to the table, and put her back to the room, Eric looking at Arthur and Jay. "Lasagna? I will be going back for more." She dug into the plate and as the flavors exploded on her tongue, she cleaned the plate and walked over for seconds. "More?" She nodded. "Please. This is my favorite. Even better cold the next day after it's had time to set." He put a bigger slice on her plate and watched her dance back to the table, going to check the brownies. She stopped and sniffed the air Danse wondering what happened. She smiled and walked back to the table. "He made brownies." Danse looked at her. "How do you know?" She smiled. "I have a nose like a blood hound. I can smell chocolate from ten miles away and it's one of my favorite things in the world." Danse nodded and let her finish eating. She looked at him and knew the people in the ship needed to know that not only was she the First Lady of Steel, she was also Sleepless. "They need to know." He looked at her. "About?" She looked at him and he understood. "Are you sure? Arthur sprung your title on people and they weren't too happy about it." She nodded. "Yeah, that I couldn't control, this I can." He grabbed her hand and patted it. "If you feel the need." She nodded and looked at him. "The fallout from this? This I can control. This is my story and I say how the chapter goes." He nodded and she stood up, Danse tapping his glass. "I have an announcement of my own." People put down their forks and looked at her. She took a deep breath and for a second she froze. She sighed. "Hi. My name is Cordova. As many if you know, the Elder named me the First Lady of Steel, per the CODEX, but there is something else that may change how you see me." Arthur and Jay looked at her, both men knowing that what she said next was going to change everything.

She looked at Arthur and then to Jay. "I have made the Elder aware of this and asked him to not tell anyone that I was the First Lady of Steel until I was ready, but we all see how that went. I'm still mad and trying to fit the punishment to the crime, but that's what happens when Cordova the Lawyer gets mad. I nail you with the law. But you don't need to know that. It's true that I am was the Vault Dweller. I was frozen for over two hundred and ten years. But I was born different. Created different. You see back before the war, twenty people were created to never sleep. The gene that controls that was removed. They were fully human and smarter than your average bear." People chuckled and she took a sip of water. "Nineteen of them were male and as soon as they hit legal age, they were drafted into the Army, where they served in the War effort. The last was born female and grew up, went to school, got her degrees to be both a Doctor, and a Lawyer. And if you are asking yourself where she is right now, I will tell you all that she is standing in a room full of people, terrified to tell them that she is the last living, pre-war Sleepless." She scanned the room as a Knight stood up and walked to her. "I am glad to have you here Cordova, and I am glad I got to meet you." She sighed as the man hugged her. The others in the room did the same. When the people left the room after, she stood there stunned, as Arthur and Jay walked over to her. "Do you feel better?" She looked at Arthur. "Don't speak to me. You did what I asked you NOT to do and you did it for you. Did you ever think about how I would feel when you did it?" He looked at her. "I didn't and I am sorry. I took away your choice to control what information was given." She looked at him, and narrowed her eyes. "What stopped you from in that same breath tell them who I was as well? Or did you want to?" Arthur nodded. "I was about to, but you walked out and I knew I screwed up." She sighed. "That's your issue Arthur, you never think about your actions or how they effect others. You seem to think that because you're the Elder, you can say what you want and leave everyone else to pick up the pieces and hope the chaos doesn't hurt them. Well your actions, hurt me. I never asked to be made First Lady of Steel and you felt the need to decide my life for me. Let me guess, the next thing you are going to tell me is that in order for me to keep being the First Lady of Steel, I have to get married and pop out a few babies." Arthur didn't look at her and she kicked the metal legs of the table, her sharp intake of breath making them look at her. Eric looked at her. "You ok?" She nodded. "I'm fine. I broke three of my toes. I'm done with this game you are playing Arthur and I can't do what is demanded. I can't." She limped out, the cook walking out with a plate. She stopped and took it, muttering to herself, her heels clipping down the hallway.

Arthur watched her leave and knew he needed to explain. Following after her, he took the plate from her hands. "Hey! That's mine. Give it back or so help me, I will kick you so fucking hard your tenth great grandchild will feel it and wonder what in the fuck happened and I will tell them their ancestor started it and now they are feeling the effects. Give me the plate Elder." He held it up and looked at it. "How come I don't get the good stuff? You have the cook baking you brownies, hell for breakfast there was cake. How in the hell do you get to have cake for breakfast? I just get gruel." She snorted. "Your an ass. That's why." She opened the door, grabbed the plate and slammed and locked the door. "I am not an ass." She shot back from behind the door. "Of course your not. Your worse. Your an ass with a mile wide control complex. If you can't control what happens you pout in the corner. Leave me alone." He looked at her door, a smile on his face. "You ok Elder?" Arthur looked at Eric and nodded. "I'm fine. She just." Eric nodded. "Pulls at you?" Arthur nodded. "Too hard sometimes. I have no idea what I am doing with her." The door opened and she held out the plate. Eric took it and laughed, looking at her. "You have something on your face." She swiped a thumb across her lips and there was nothing there. "Made you look." She laughed and ignored Arthur. "Your so going down. Give me time and Paladin?" He looked at her. "Sleep with one eye open. You never know when I am going to attack." He laughed, walking the plate back to the dining hall. Arthur looked at her, her gaze trying to get a read on him. "What the CODEX wants is impossible." He looked at her confused. "What do you mean?" She sighed. "I can't have children. No one knew why. But at eighteen, I'm not really thinking about babies and marriage. I did have a set of goals I wanted to carry out. Looks like it's not gonna happen now." He looked at her confused. "Hey I may be Sleepless, but I had things I wanted to do." He chuckled. "Like what?" She sighed. "Ride every ride at Nuka World, win a teddy bear bigger than me. Get arrested, and spend the night in jail just to see what it was like. You know the small things." He nodded. "Well I can't help with any of that, so I'm not sure what to say." She sighed. "I know. The war blew away everything I wanted to do, so I am letting it go and trying to come to terms with the fact that life seldom goes the way you want. Good night Elder." She went to close the door and he stopped her. "What were you wanting to get arrested for if I may ask?" She smiled. "Fighting with a soldier. Defended my fair share of them. Come to think about it. That's how I met Nate." She closed the door, and it gave Arthur a lot to think about.

Scooting the furniture around like she wanted, there was a knock on her door. Walking over, she opened it to see Jason standing there. "Can we talk? You can leave the door open if you don't trust me." She snorted. "I dislocated your knee cap. You should fear me more." He sighed. "Fair enough." She let him in and closed the door. "I wanted to say I'm sorry. As Cade was patching me up, he got to talking to me and realized I use aggressive flirting as a way for people to pay attention to me. So please forgive me. What I did went against everything I know as a Knight." She looked at him and sighed. "Fine. But keep in mind what I said. I will hurt you if I hear about it again." He nodded. "I have two questions to ask." She looked at him. "Go ahead." "Where did you learn to do that? And can you teach me?" She sighed. "Sure. Talk to the Paladin and see when you have time, and let me know. Now go. It's getting to be lights out." Jason hugged her and walked out, Cordova smiling. A few minutes later the Boson call rang down the hallway and she shook her head. "Got to turn that down somehow." Arthur heard her talking to herself and he smiled, wrapping his arms around Jay, both men content and happy. "How do you feel about adding a third? I mean we've always thrown the idea about?" Arthur sighed. "I need to think about it honestly, and with all the work we had to do to get here, I haven't had the time to think. Give me a week. I can give you my answer then." As they settled into sleep, they heard music and her voice. Both men heard her voice crack, and knew she didn't need them. Her voice lulled them to sleep. She looked at herself in the mirror and had no idea who the girl staring back at her was. Looking at the bed, she grabbed a pillow and walked out, hoping to find the Paladin passed out.

She found him, with Knights awake and held a finger to her lips, the Knights both wondering what she was going to do, and afraid to say something. She smiled, swinging the pillow and hitting him right in the face. He bolted awake, sitting up. "What in the fuck!" She looked at Eric. "Told you to sleep with one eye open." He wiped the feathers out of his face and looked at her, the challenge in her eyes. "Well you did warn me." That broke the tension and she laughed. "See this is what happens when you mess with me. Be lucky it wasn't. Never mind. Don't need to give the Knights ideas. That would cause mass panic and I'd get in trouble and I'm the good one around here." Eric looked at her. "I will ask at some point you know." She tapped her finger against her lip. "Know where I can get a fifty-five gallon barrel of honey, a ton of feathers, plastic wrap, zip ties, power tools, and duct tape?" The Knights all looked at her confused. "Never mind, I can ask Cods." Eric looked at her, no idea what she was planning. "You ok?" She nodded. "Yup. But I do need your body for a bit." The Knights hooted and she glared at them. "Get your minds out of the gutter you perverts. I need Danse to do some heavy lifting." Danse looked at her. "Was there something you needed?" She nodded. "I do. And as my friend, you are not allowed to ask any questions in case the fuzz bust us. It's called 'Plausible Deniability'. That and Premeditation gets tossed around the courtroom way too much as it is." Eric laughed and let her ramble. "Is there a point to all of this?" Her eyes lit up. "Yup and who I am going to do this to will never see it coming." He looked at her. "So get up and get dressed already. I want to get in, get what I need, and get back here before the law puts an APB out." Danse nodded and when the blanket dropped she stared at his abs. "You might need a weapons permit for those abs." He laughed and she walked away, going past the Elder's room and heard him snoring. "Your gonna see what happens when I am in the mood to fuck with people. Your the first on the list Elder." Eric walked up behind her. She turned and approved of the no Armor. "Let's go." They ran down the steps and took off before anyone was awake, the pitch black the only thing awake around them.

When the Vertibird landed in Sanctuary Hills, she jumped out and ran to her house, Codsworth floating around. "Mum? You ok?" She nodded. "I need the box, and I am grabbing a few things ok?" Codsworth floated away and got what she needed, the box open, power tools inside. Danse watched her fly around the house and toss things in the box, laughing and tossing things in. She walked out of her bedroom and looked at Danse. "I need more than I thought. Can you carry that to the Vertibird? I have two more trunks I need to load up." Danse nodded and grabbed the box, taking it outside. She whirled around the house, dropping guns in one of the trunks as Danse walked back in and watched. "What are those?" She walked out and back on with a clear jar of paint balls, no clue what they were used for. "Oh. Paint ball. One of those will leave a bruise the size of a dinner plate when it strikes the skin." She closed it and drug it toward Danse and he took it outside. She walked back to her room and grabbed all the clothes she could, making sure she had what was needed. Grabbing a small box, she opened it and nodded, the navel rings going in the box. She closed it and waddled out with it. "Give it to me." She let him grab it. "That's the last thing. Cods?" He looked at her. "If you are questioned by the fuzz, we were never here. In fact, you don't speak English." Codsworth laughed and the two of them got on the Bird and took off. "Not to bad, we were there for an hour. We have six until everyone wakes up." Danse looked at the boxes. "Do I want to know?" She looked at him. "Nope. Not taking you down with me." Danse chuckled and they returned, Danse taking everything to her room Kells walking over to her. "Is there a reason you took a Vertibird without permission?" She smiled. "Yup." He looked at her. "Want to tell me that reason?" She shook her head. "Nope." He looked at her. "I need to know so I can put it in the log books." She smiled. "It's in the realm of Nunya. Nunya business. I am the First Lady of Steel and if I want to take a Vertibird on a joyride and do donuts in the air, you can't stop me." She walked away and Kells looked at her dumbfounded. And had no idea why he felt so guilty asking her what she was doing. He left her alone, and she sent Danse to his bed. She looked at the boxes and came up with a plan.

Danse laid down and the only thing he could think about was how the place she lived and it broke his heart. She acted like nothing was wrong and when she was packing things, he noticed that she would look out the windows, pause, and go back to what she was doing. He tossed and turned and the realization that she wasn't supposed to survive hit him. He got out of bed and made his way to her Quarters and knocked on her door, the Knights on night duty, leaving him alone. She opened the door, smiled at him and invited him in. "Was there something you wanted to talk about?" He nodded. "Why didn't you tell me?" She sighed. "I try not to think about it. That was the third time, and it still doesn't feel real." He nodded and sat down on the couch. "I worry about you. You have seen one war and need to know how you feel about this one." She sighed. "Want me to be honest?" He nodded. "I am not sure he can win. If what I think is true, the Institute will make sure that doesn't happen. Want to hear something way out of left field?" He sighed. "Sure." She chuckled. "In all the books I have read, none of them could have ever prepared me for what it looked like after I left the Vault. It was a horror novel, survival guide, and how to for dummies all wrapped up in a landscape of hell. I don't know how anyone could have been raised in what was left behind, but I guess it's something right?" He nodded. "Makes me wish I took up a bad habit." He stared at her, his eyes wide. "But that wouldn't have helped. I am the good person that always helps when things get rough. I'm the one that drops everything and helps people and I don't mind." Danse stood up, and walked over to her. "You need to be selfish just once you know." She shook her head. "It doesn't work that way Eric. Me being selfish is like you going a day without your Armor. It just never happens." He nodded. "I'll make you a deal." She cocked her head and looked at him. "You be selfish for one day and I will show you that I don't live in my Power Armor. Do we have a deal?" She sighed. "Why do I have a feeling you'll break before I will?" He laughed. "You think in the worst case." She nodded. "My very first trail I was shaking like a leaf because I had no idea what the jury was thinking, took them half an hour to decide that he was not guilty, but man the nerves were rough." He laughed trying to picture it. "They probably had no idea how awesome you were." "Ok, I get it. You have a deal. When does it start?" "In a few days. Now what are you planning with all of this?" She shook her head. "You will have to wait and see." He chuckled and sobered. "Cordova?" She looked at him. "You do understand that you were never supposed to walk out of there alive right?" She nodded her head. "I knew that the second I left the pod. It was confirmed when I read it on a terminal. But it makes me wonder who and why Nate and I were called the 'back up.' That's the only thing I can't understand. I need to find Nate and see if he found out anything." Eric looked at her. "Boyfriend?" She sighed. "No. But I did have a wood chipper with his name on it. No body, no evidence." He laughed and walked to the door. "I hope to meet him one day. He sounds fun." She nodded. "He would fit in a hell of a lot better with you guys actually. He was in the Army before the bombs fell and you seen what happened." He nodded and left, Cordova with a few hours on her hands to make out a battle plan. One that would show the Elder and everyone what happens when she has a lot of free time and bored out of her mind.

The Boson call at five am woke everyone up, Danse still asleep in his bed. He was dreaming of Cordova's past and wondered how she came to the Common Wealth. Shaken awake by Jay he looked at the man. "Rough night. Go away." Jay sighed. "Where did you and Cordova go last night? The pilot said something about a trip." Danse yawned. "Did you ask her? Or was I the first person you wanted to ask?" Jay looked at him. "You were first." He nodded. "I think if she wanted you to know, she would tell you. Kells will end up on her hit list if he tries to get her in trouble." Jay nodded. "Agreed, the Elder and I are on tinder hooks waiting for the shoe to drop." Danse sighed. "I have a feeling you will find out soon." Jay walked away. "That's what I am afraid of." Jay walked to the Armor Bay and watched her listen to Ingram. "A set of Armor is around 200 pounds. Why do you want to know?" Cordova shook her head. "Just curious. Makes sense why it was so hard to move in." Ingram looked at her and noticed Jay. "Most people forget they are wearing it most of the time when they are out in the field." Cordova nodded. "I understand. But another question." Ingram looked at her. "Go ahead." "I need help with a very delicate mission. Do you think you could help me? I want to decorate my Armor so that it is different from say the Elder's or the Paladin's. Because we all know Danse is such a fuddy duddy." Ingram laughed as Jay walked behind Cordova. "That is such an old word." She sighed. "Still not talking to me?" She looked at him. "I have nothing to say to you or anyone other than Ingram at the moment. I am trying to weigh the merits of wearing Power Armor when I go on a mission, or not. The last time I wore Power Armor I was attacked by a Death Claw." He had nothing to say, but he looked at her. "It was told to the Elder that you took a Vertibird. Is there a reason why?" "Classified intel." He looked at her. "Can you tell me why it's 'Classified'?" She looked at him and tried not to laugh. "Nope. My reasons are that. My reasons. But I do have a question for you." He sighed. "What?" She snickered. "Know where I can find a fifty-five gallon drum of honey? And do you have a suit of Power Armor?" "No and No. Sorry." She shrugged. "Well that's a pity. Back to the drawing board then. See you later." She skipped down the hallway, her braid bouncing down her back. She opened her door, bounding in and closed it. "I was wondering when we were going to talk." She screamed and grabbed her chest. "I swear you do that to FUCK with me Elder." He chuckled and looked at her. "What was with the Vertibird trip?" She pinched the bridge of her nose. "Is there any fucking way possible that I can go home and grab some clothes without the list of twenty fucking questions? So I went home? Big deal. Figured I'd go when while the pilot wasn't busy. Want me to wear a collar and be lead by a leash while I'm at it?" He cocked his head and pictured it, not liking what he seen. "No, but if you had told us, we could have gone with you." She sighed. "Oh yeah just what I really need. Men trouncing all over my past. Two words: Hard Pass. My life before the war isn't something to gawk over. I had enough of that before and I won't do it again. You want to see my past? Look at me and see the mental scars I carry because let me tell you, they suck." She walked over to the trunk of clothes and opened it, pulling things out and putting them in a dresser. "I'm sorry." She shook her head. "You sound like a broken record, and I am tired of the song. You want me to be a member of the Brotherhood and I am not sure if that will change when you meet Nate. He lived this life, war, battles. While I was a girl that went to college." He walked over to her and wrapped his arms around her waist, causing her to sigh. "Our lives are way too different Elder. You see war as a tool to show that you are right, and I see war as a way to hurt innocent people who have no horse in the race, I am tired of being Polly Parrot. I'm just. Tired of it all." He arms tightened around her and he rested his chin on her shoulder. "If you let people in, they can help share the load." She snorted. "Yeah. That will happen. Sure." He turned her to face him. "What does that comment mean?" She sighed and closed her eyes. "I was seventeen, and thought this guy was amazing. He didn't want my money, he just wanted to know all about me, all my secrets. I didn't tell anyone I was Sleepless so one night, I told him. Told him about all of it. A few days later, I was on the front page of the paper, everything I told him people read. Found out that he was a reporter and did this for a living. They say Karma works slowly, but not for me. See he didn't know that I knew the owner of the paper, and within an hour he was fired, his story slammed as a lie, except for the Sleepless part and he never worked for a paper again. I ran into him a month later when I was filling up my car. I wasn't allowed to fuel my car up, and he was working there and had to. Took one look at me and said I ruined his life. I told him he did when he thought using me and who I was would make doors open for him. Paid him what was owed for the fuel and gave him a two cent tip. He was so pissed he called the manager over. Manager started yelling at me, and I calmly replied that his employee made me wait for twenty minutes to fill my car when there was no one else here. The tip was what he earned and if he had been more focused on his job instead of a personal vendetta, he would have gotten more. I drove away and that was the last I seen of either of them. So you can see why opening up to people is not my thing." He nodded, his chin hairs digging into her skin, the texture rough and she didn't know how to feel about it.

He was seeing parts of her and it made him upset. "Well he was an ass who got what he deserved. I would have sued him." She snorted. "Wasn't worth the waste of docket time, and any money I would have got wouldn't have been worth it. He wasn't worth it." He sighed and she did too. "Well, I will let you get unpacked. Let me know if you need anything." She nodded as he walked away. "Hey Elder?" He looked at her. "Yes?" She smiled. "Danse was hilarious covered in feathers." He roared with laughter and left her alone. She put her clothes away and went to go have a wonderful lunch. Walking to the dining hall, several women looked at her. "Nice shoes." Cordova knew the tone and nodded. "I love them. In fact I have like twenty pair just like it, and each just as deadly as the first. Want to push and see what happens when I get angry? Ask Paladin Danse and Jason what happened and I am sure they will fill you in." Jason looked up from the table and looked at Cordova. "What did I do now?" She looked at him. "Tell these ladies what happened when you refused to shut your cake hole." Jason stood up and looked at them. "She kicked me into the boxing ring, and when I thought it would be a good idea to attack her, she dislocated my knee, tore the ACL. I still feel pain if I twist it wrong. Take her on and it's your funeral I guess." He sat back down and finished eating. "Oh and she put the Paladin flat on his back and had her heel on his throat." She smiled and it wasn't a friendly one. "Plus it's hard to get blood out of silk." The women all went pale as Cordova walked away. She heard one of them ask. "Who does she think she is? She can't treat people like that." Cordova smiled. "I'm the First Lady of Steel, and keep flapping your guns and I swear you four will make the walls sweat." She grabbed her meal, and took it to a table. She looked at it wondering what it was. As she put her fork into it, chocolate ran out of it and she looked at the cook confused and got a wink. "I'll be dammed." Eric set his tray down and looked at her. "What's wrong?" She smiled. "He thwarted me." She showed him her meal and he could smell the chocolate. "Your lunch?" Made to look like meat loaf. That man is a genius." She ate her cake as Danse had his real meatloaf and she was humming. "That's what you were humming last night." She looked up to see Arthur setting his tray down. "Yeah, it's called Elastic Heart by this woman named Sia. I loved her music. Still do actually." He nodded. "Why does your lunch look better than mine?" She shrugged. "Probably because you got the real thing and I got cake with a liquid chocolate center." Arthur looked at it closely and sighed. "Seriously. You get the good stuff." She laughed and ate a spoon full of cake. "Because I'm sweet that's why." He looked at her and blinked. Was she flirting with him? As Jay sat down, he noticed her plate as well. "Cake? For lunch? What gives?" Arthur sighed. "I think the cook likes her. Wants to keep her happy." Cordova went red and looked at Arthur. "If you pulled your head out of pervertville, you might want to think about the fact that I saved his daughter. Yeah, it was the Scribe that collapsed and I stuck a straw in her throat. So instead of thinking that he's doing whatever, you might just want to look beyond what you see." The three men nodded and got back to eating, her watching Eric. "You still have feathers in your hair Eric." He laughed. "Well after the full on feather facial, I'd say so." She laughed. "You cheated at cards, so it's called pay back. You know, I never did get the honey I needed." Jay and Arthur both looked at her. "What?" She looked at Eric. "Yeah, no one has any and I was wanted it for my tea. It's also really good for sealing wounds. It has antibacterial properties in it. Learned that in Medical School. And it makes a great cough syrup but not for babies under a year. You never give babies under a year honey. It can kill them." Eric nodded and got up from the table, and noticed her plate was almost done. "Well, I will see you all later. I need a nap." She smiled at looked at him. "Danse?" He stopped, and looked at her. "You remind me of a professor I had a long time ago. He was an amazing friend to me when I needed one and taught me all I needed to know about the meaning of life." Danse nodded and walked away, Cordova enjoying the cake.

When she was finished, she made her way to her room. Feeling someone behind her, she turned and kicked the woman in the stomach, grabbing her face and breaking her nose against her knee. The three other women attacked her and it took four Knights to restrain Cordova. "Come at me again and they will never find your fucking bodies." Arthur and Jay heard the fight and knew she was deadly. "Get them in the cells at Cambridge. I will deal with them." Arthur scooped up Cordova and took her to Cade. "What in the hell happened?" She sighed. "Four on one fight. Think they know now how I can defend myself." She laid back because her head was swimming, as Cade looked at all the blood on her clothes. "None of it's mine."


	4. The Solider and the Elder Meet.  Anyone See an Issue?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Nate goes back to Diamond City to see if he can find answers about the implant, which leads them to Good Neighbor. With a lead in hand, Nate finds out where Cordova went to and it raises all sorts of questions for him. Nate clashes with Cordova about her taking over caring for Shaun when he gets him back, Cordova standing firm on her choice and Nate makes her choose between her wants and his needs. Arthur informs Cordova about a High Elder visit.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know that there is two chapters for her, one chapter for him but this chapter will link the two of them together and what happens when the choices we make, ripple out to other people?
> 
> Song in this chapter: Nevermind by Dennis Lloyd
> 
> Update/Edit 31.01.2021

The walk back gave Nate time to think about everything that happened. "You are pretty quiet over there. You ok?" Nate looked at Nick. "Yeah, but this is just a bigger piece of a massive puzzle. Why did he have this? I would ask my friend, but she's not around." Nick looked at him. "A lot of people were lost when the bombs feel." Nate sighed. "No, she walked out of the Vault with me, but she was more of a Lawyer than Doctor most days." Nick looked at him. "Ok, so your friend is a Doctor? Lawyer? Which one because only one person I know of fits that category." Nate nodded. "Cordova." Nick stopped and looked at him. "Wait. Back up here. She lived? How is that possible?" Nate sighed. "You knew she was Sleepless right?" Nick nodded. "Thought that was a rumor to keep her in the press." Nate shook his head. "Well, the rumor was right. She left after our return from Concord and I lost track of her after that." Nick chuckled. "She was a tough cookie to read even then. Clashed horns with her in open court a time or two. She could rip your guts out and make it look like it was your idea to begin with." Nate nodded. "And the guilt trips. Used to get me to clean her gutters." Nick laughed. "So what do we do now?" Nate looked at the Vertibird in the distance and watched it land, men in Power Armor getting out and running past them. "The Synth threat is in that location." Nate and Nick walked on. "I want to find out about the Institute and see how much damage they have done." Nick looked at him. "Then we should talk to Piper. She knows all about them." Nate didn't say a word, using the way he came as a guide.

When they got back to Diamond City the only thing awake was the security in place. "We'll meet at Piper's in the morning. You should find a place to crash. You have a rough go the past couple of days." Nate nodded as Nick walked away, Nate finding the Dugout Inn and walking into drunk people at one am. He paid for a room and crashed. Cordova and how she was doing on his mind. He woke up to his Pip-Boy on and the radio going. He turned it off and walked out of the room, making his way to the Newspaper office. When he walked in Piper looked at him. "Was wondering when the two of you were going to keep me in the loop. So what is going?" Nate looked at her. "They took him. The Institute took him and I have no idea where in the hell they took him." Piper nodded. "Yeah, the Institute is known for that. They take people and leave copies in their place. They are the boogeyman for a reason. And no one knows why they do it. Is it to prove a point?" Nate sighed. "Well, we need to find out. I found the man that took my son." She looked at him. "I pulled this out of his head and I have no idea what it does. Does he use it to get in and out?" Piper revolted. "Really? That is so gross." Nick sighed. "The only way to find out is in Good Neighbor. Amari might know what to do." Nate looked at him. "Then we should get going. Find out what is on this thing." Piper looked at Nate. "Want me to go with you?" Nate looked at her and smiled. "I don't see a problem with it. Nick?" Nick shook his head. "Might be fun." Piper snorted. "The Mayor will never see what hit him." Nick laughed. "Very true. So let's get going." Nate nodded and let Nick go first, holding the door for Piper. She smiled and walked out, locking the door behind her. "Safety first." Nate laughed, and they walked up the stairs and left Diamond City.

As the three of them took their time, Piper was asking Nate about the fight and he was as honest with her as he could be, not sure she could handle the gore. "What did it feel like to kill him though? That had to be hard?" Nate shrugged. "He took my son and was happy about it. Like he was glad to be apart of the plan. He killed my wife and didn't feel guilty. That's what pissed me off. He had this smug attitude that he got one over on me. He killed her and left me behind as a memento. Like taking my son wasn't enough. Leaving me alive wasn't enough. Why us? What did we do that was so wrong? All we did was walk into the Vault. Holly, Shaun, Dova and I. Dova and I were the only two to walk out. I should have died." Piper put a hand on his arm. "I doubt that. Maybe someone wanted the two of you to find a way to end the reign of terror. The Institute has been killing and replacing people. Maybe it's your chance to stop them. And who is this Dova person?" Nate looked at her. "A friend. Just a friend." Piper looked at him. "How did you two meet?" He sighed. "In jail. I was picking up one of my soldiers and she was trying to get him released. I took one look at her and said how little girls didn't need to be bailing grown men out of jail, and she looked at me, smiled, said something in Latin. When I asked what she said, she told me that she may be a little girl, but she was still getting charges dropped for grown men that have no common sense. Stunned me for a second and she told me she was asked to get the charges dropped and she did. She was my neighbor and I had no idea who she really was." Piper nodded, and wrote as she walked. "So is she pretty?" Nate shook his head. "Not my type. But she is someone's." Piper nodded. "You got a type?" He laughed. "Yeah. I like them mouthy, and loyal." Piper knew that something happened in his past and she didn't want to push. "My wife was cheating on me. Tried to steal half a million of Cordova's money, and the day the bombs fell, Cordova was going to have her arrested at the airport because my wife and her lover were going to fly to Bali under Cordova's name. Holly got into the Vault with me." Piper looked at him. "Wow. That sucks. I'm sorry." Nate sighed. "Not your fault. It was mine for not listening to anyone." They took out raiders and Ghouls as they came at them and an hour later, they were in Good Neighbor.

Nate walked through the gate, a man walking over to them. "Hi Stranger." Nate looked at him. "Now this is how things are going to go. You pay me insurance money, nothing bad will happen to you." Nate stared at the guy. "If I don't?" He man sneered. "Bad, bloody things will happen." Nate took a step when another man walked over. "We talked about this. You need to stop with this insurance racket you got going on. Your making the town look bad." The man snorted. "At least I'm doing something. Keep doing what your doing and the people might vote for a new Mayor." Nate caught the flash of blade as the Mayor stabbed the man to death, causing Nate to shrug. "I am sorry about that and I hope it doesn't effect how you see us." Nick snorted. "I doubt that ever could." The Mayor sighed. "Welcome to Good Neighbor. If your a freak, your welcome. If you like people to get along, your welcome. If you hate the Institute. Pick an apartment." Nate smiled. "Sounds fair." The Mayor nodded. "I'm John Hancock." He held out his hand. "Nate." Nate shook it and realized the guy had a strong grip and dropped his hand. Nick looked at John. "We won't cause any trouble. We are here to talk to a friend." John nodded. "If there is anything you need, a hit of Jet, Mentats, anything you come and see me ok?" Nate nodded as Nick lead them away. "We need to go to the Memory Den. That's where Amari is." Nate nodded and followed him.

Piper was watching Nate and had no idea what he was thinking about and didn't want to ask. "I'm ok. I seen worse in the Army." She nodded and glanced at him. "You just seem to need a friend to lean on right now. You seem upset." He shook his head. "I'm not, I am worried about Shaun and what they are doing to him. He's a child. An innocent child." She nodded. "I feel that way about Nat. She's my baby sister and if anything were to happen to her, I'd probably do what you are doing. Avenging a wrong done to your family." Nate nodded. Opening the door to the Memory Den, Nate and Piper heard Nick flirting with someone. "You need to stop leaving like this Nick. Makes a girl think you'll forget about her." Nick chuckled. "I could never leave a girl like you Irma, your what keeps me going." She laughed. "You big flirt. Amari is down stairs." The woman pouted as Nick, Nate, and Piper walked down the stairs, and Nate looked at Nick. "All the women like you." Nick nodded. "Yeah, but I can never love them back." Nate sighed as they walked into a room filled with domed chair and Nate was confused. "Amari?" She looked up and smiled at Nick. "Yes?" Nate walked over to her. "We need your help." She looed at Nate. "What do you mean?" Nick looked at her. "I need information off an implant, is there anyway that you can do it?" Amari looked at Nick stunned. "Why in the world would you even stop to think I would do something like that? It goes against everything I know as a Doctor." Nate looked at her. "Because this man took my newborn son and gave him to the Institute. He killed my wife, and left me and my best friend behind calling us a 'backup'. I know you have a moral line, but I have one too. I need to know why. So I am begging you to help us." Amari sighed and looked at Nick. "He's telling the truth. I was there when he killed him." Amari's eyes went wide. "He had an implant in his head and we need to get what we can off it." She nodded. "Do you have it?" Nate pulled out the clear bag he had it in and handed it to her. "This was not what I was expecting. You have part of the brain still attached. I don't know how we are going to do this." Nick looked at Nate. "I can help. The Institute built me." Amari nodded, but Nate looked at Nick. "I don't want you to feel like you have to do this Nick." Nick looked at Nate. "I want to help you find your son. You need to know why. Besides, you would do the same for me." Nate nodded. "Yeah, I would. Thanks for doing this Nick. It means a lot to me." Nick slapped Nate's back. "Now let's find out what happened to your son." Nate nodded and looked at Amari. "Nick, you set in the chair, I want to get this placed. You sit there, and we can get started." Nate walked to the lounger next to Nick and sat down. "I need you to talk to me Nick. Tell me what you see." "It's fuzzy Doc. Flashes of things." Nate looked at the TV and suddenly he was surrounded by black and had no idea what was happening.

Nate had no idea what was going on, until he heard Amari's voice. "Wait. I found something. It's a core memory." Nate just wanted to know where his son was and wasn't interested in his childhood. As he went through the memories, he had no idea that he was a father and lost his wife and daughter. Nate wondered if that's when his mind twisted and became what it was. "This one is recent. Let me see." Nate walked into the memory and seen himself in the pod. He turned and looked at Cordova and noticed that she was trying not to panic. He also noted how much younger she looked. He watched his wife die and he was shot in the shoulder. The only sound was Shaun crying. "There is one more memory." The last one truly shocked Nate. It was at his place in Diamond City, and Shaun was older. Nate wasn't sure how old, but he looked to be ten. The room was filled with blue light and Nate barely listened to the conversation, his gaze on Shaun. "I have come to take him back." Kellogg nodded as Shaun walked over to the other man. "You know what to do." The man and Shaun left, leaving Nate empty, but he now knew that Shaun was a little older and had his blonde hair. "I am going to bring you out now." Nate looked at the TV in the room and suddenly, he was looking out the glass of the memory lounger. Amari looked at him as he slowly got out. "Are you ok?" Nate nodded. "I. He's. Oh my God." Amari looked at him. "What did you see?" Nate looked at her. "They use something to get in and out. I'm not sure." Nate looked around the room and wondered where Nick was. "Teleportation." Nate looked at her. "What?" Amari sighed. "That's how they get in and out. They use some sort of teleportation device. What was the name mentioned? Virgil? He might be your best hope here. But the location is a mystery." Nate looked at her. "What do you mean?" She sighed. "He's in a place called the Glowing Sea. No one goes there. It's where the bombs fell. If you go make sure you have lots of Rad-X and Radaway." Nate nodded and looked at Amari. "Nick is upstairs and said he's ready to go when you are." Nate nodded as Piper sat there silent. "Are you ok? How are you feeling?" He looked at her. "He's ten. He's ten years old. How? How did this happen?" Piper sighed. "They are monsters. Let's go talk to Nick. Maybe he can help make sense of all of this." Nate nodded as Piper walked out. When they got to Nick, he heard a chuckle, and it made Nate's blood run cold. "Did you enjoy talking a walk through my head? I knew I should have killed you." Nate looked at him. "Too late. I killed you first." Nick looked at Nate. "What did you say?" Nate shook his head. "For a second there, you sounded like him." Nick sighed. "Well, I was told there could be some after effects. Let's get back to my office and go over what happened." Nate looked at Nick. "I need a drink. Several in fact. And I need to find Cordova and tell her what I found out. She needs to know." Piper rubbed Nate's back and felt a flare of jealousy. She knew that Nate didn't have feelings for her, but even watching the memory, she was struck by how pretty she was.

They left the Memory Den, Nate with a lot on his mind. When they walked into the Third Rail, Piper walked off to talk to an old friend and Nate walked to the bar. "What are you having. All I got is beer." Nate looked down the list and smiled. "Bottle of rum, and a few beers." Charley placed them in front of Nate and paid, carrying everything back to the table and set it down. "You ok?" Nate looked at Nick. "He's ten Nick. Ten. How in the hell did this happen?" Nick sighed. "I don't know but we will find the answers. I'm sorry that this happened, but you cut the head off the Hydra. Makes you wonder how many are left." Nate nodded. "And when they are going to strike." Nate opened the rum and poured some in a glass, taking the shot and let the burn work through his system. "You need to stop wallowing Nate. You have a lead to find your son." He looked up to see Piper standing there. "You don't get it Piper. That's my child they took. I can't be happy that they took him." Piper looked at him. "I'm not saying that. I mean, you know he's ok for the most part. If he wasn't, they would have hurt him. And from what I seen, he wasn't abused." Nate looked at her and knew she made some valid points. "I know it's hard. I would be the same way if something happened to Nat. But take it one day at a time and when the time comes, you can finally slay the monster." Nate nodded and stood up. "I have to find her and let her know what happened. She can see what other's don't." Nick nodded. "But you have no idea where she went." Nate flashed back to the Blimp arriving in the Common Wealth. "No, but I have a feeling she went to see what the Brotherhood of Steel was about." Nick nodded, as Piper stared at him. "I will go with you if you want." Nate looked at her, giving a nod. "I will go back to the office and add this to the case file. Maybe there is something I missed, a clue." They parted company, all three walking out the gate.

Nate looked at Piper. "It's getting late, you should go home as well. You have your sister to take care of." Piper nodded. "Fill me in later?" He nodded, as she ran to catch up to Nick. Nate knew Cordova needed to be told everything and as he got closer to the airport, he had no idea what he was going to say, or if she was even there, the thought of her linking up with them the main thought in his mind. He stopped at the gate and watched the people in Power Armor walk around, a man in the center of it all. Walking over, Nate looked at him. "This is a restricted area. State your business." Nate looked the man in the eye and sighed. "I have a feeling my friend is here. If she is, I need to speak to her." Danse looked the man over, and shook his head. "We don't keep track of waste landers." Nate smiled. "That's good to know because she's not a waste lander. We left Vault one-eleven together." Danse covered his shock well, Nate gave him that. "Excuse me, I need to make a radio call." Nate nodded, as Danse walked away. Twenty minutes later, Danse walked back over to him. "I need you to come with me. The Elder wants to meet you." Nate nodded. "Ok." They walked up the stairs and got on the waiting Vertibird, Nate wondering what the Elder wanted to talk about. When it docked, Nate got out and pulled his shirt down and sighed. "Right this way." Danse's tone was clipped and Nate followed behind him, unsure of what was going to happen. When the door shut behind him, the Elder was talking to another man and Arthur's eyes clashed with his. "You have until the rest of the day to figure out the supply line. Make Gavil aware of this." The man nodded and walked out, closing the door behind him. "You are not what I was expecting." Nate looked at him. "Meaning?" Arthur stood up. "Nothing much. So how do you know her?" Nate looked at Arthur unaware that he was the Elder. "That is Classified." Arthur felt his temper rise, and looked at Nate. "I am Elder Maxson and I run the Brotherhood of Steel." Nate nodded. "Nice to know. You know Roger?" Arthur jolted. "No, but you do." Nate nodded. "Served with him actually. Now is she here?" Arthur didn't say a word. "She will be pissed if you don't tell her." Arthur nodded. "I am aware, but until I deem you not a threat to her, you won't see her." Nate looked at him. "I am no threat to her. We both know it." Arthur shook his head. "She is in her Quarters. She was attacked." Nate looked at him. "It's happening again." Arthur looked at him confused. "Again?" Nate nodded. "Did she tell you that she was Sleepless?" Arthur nodded. "Told me when she got here. I am aware that you know her, but why do you need to talk to her?" Nate looked at him. "Classified." Arthur looked at him. "This isn't a torture session." Nate looked at him. "You are searching for your son from what she has told me. How is that going?" Nate sighed. "Not well. Seems the Institute has him." Arthur nodded. "That is another reason to destroy them." Nate looked up. "Agreed. But there are things I need to talk to her about." Arthur nodded. "I am willing to make you an offer. One that will benefit us both." Nate looked at him. "And what is that?" Arthur smiled. "You help us destroy the Institute and we will get your son out." Nate nodded, and held out his hand. Arthur took it and they shook hands. "You have a deal." Arthur walked to the door, opened it, and left the room. Nate had no choice but to follow him.

She had no idea what was going on and didn't want to know when Arthur walked in. "You have a minute?" She looked up. "Not really. Still thinking about the punishments those women deserve. I'm a lawyer, this should be easy." Arthur chuckled. "Well, I don't know if this will help." She looked up as he moved inside the room, Nate following him in. "Nate? When did you get here?" He looked at her. "Hour ago. Heard you were attacked. You ok?" She nodded. "I am. How did you find me?" Nate looked at her. "Had a feeling, and it was right." She sighed. "What are you doing here?" He sighed. "It's a long story, and I need your help." She pointed to the chair. "Tell me everything." He put his head in his hands and he gripped his hair. "They took him." She looked at Nate. "Who?" His eyes met hers and she knew this was going to be bad. "The Institute. They got into the Vault, killed Holly, shot me, took Shaun and sealed us back in. They set a killer on us Dova. Shaun's not a baby anymore either. He's ten years old." She looked at him. "That doesn't make sense Nate. They waited two hundred and ten years? The Doctor side is screaming at me saying there is no way they waited over two hundred years to find your son. And it honestly felt like it was more than ten if I'm being honest. The Lawyer side is screaming that this is a mass genocide, and Vault-Tec is a big part of it. I do have a way to get ahold of old records, but it will take a while. Is there any way that you can stay here while I find out?" Nate looked at her, and sighed. "That's the thing. The Elder asked me to join and I agreed." She smiled. "That's great. I'm happy for you." He nodded as well and sighed. "Know what that means?" She shook her head confused. "Not really." He stood up. "That means I can finally take you on a date." She felt the bottom of her world fall and looked at him. "What? No." Nate looked at her. "Now I don't have to lie anymore. I have always wanted a chance with you and now? Now I get it." She stood up and he came around the desk, hugging her while her body felt like lead. "I will see you later, I have a date to plan." He walked out of the room and Arthur noticed something wrong. "You ok?" She shook her head. "No, I'm not alright or ok. I am so far past any of those two options. I don't want to date. Anyone. He knows this. What changed?" Arthur looked at her. "Maybe now that his wife is gone, he thinks you want her place." She rolled her eyes. "I don't and will never want that. Ever. Talk him out of it. Tell him I had something come up." Arthur looked at her. "He won't listen. Just be honest." She nodded. "I can do that." He walked out and closed her door, understanding her need for space.

Cordova got a shower and put on her favorite jeans and t-shirt, and slipped on a pair of flats she grabbed from her house. When the door opened, Nate walked in and looked at her. "We need to talk about Shaun and I was lucky enough to have dinner sent up." She looked at Nate confused. "This isn't a date Nate. I don't see you that way. I never have." He looked at her. "Because of Holly. Roger told me." She shook her head as the cart was brought in and the table was set. "It was never about her Nate. It was me trying to keep you safe. We both know she hated me. I mean look at what she did. She cheated on you, stole my money, not only that, but she tried to go to Bali with her lover using MY NAME. I'm sorry if you think I am going to take her place, because I'm not. Shaun is your son. Not mine. I never want to be in that postition." Nate looked at her. "But you have to help me provide a stable life for Shaun. You set up a college fund for him. That means you want to take care of him." Cordova sighed. "No, it is called 'trying to give a child the best possible life'. Look I don't know why you are under the impression that I want the life you are trying to build for me, but I don't. I never did. And if you thought that, then that's on you and I refuse to carry that burden. This isn't like before the war. This isn't a movie where the girl suddenly changes her mind and marries the boy after he wears her down. Look, I know you think you know what is best for me, but you don't. Nate in case you forgot I'm eighteen. I am so lost right now that it's not even funny. The things I wanted to do are gone and I can't get them back, so please don't assume I want what you are trying to push on me." Nate stood up and looked at her. "You and I are going to be together Cordova, so you really need to stop fighting it. You need to stop fighting it and do what I say. I know you are lying to me and I won't stand for that. Now, you need to end this First Lady of Steel business and think about where you want to be in a year. Because I know it's going to end with my ring on your finger and Shaun calling you mom." She stared at him. "No. You don't make decisions about my life, nor do you give me orders. In fact, I have orders for you. Get the fuck out of my room or so help me, I will scream so loud they will hear me back at the house. I will never marry you Nate, and I will never be a mom to your kid. In fact, I am glad I can't have kids, because if you were the last man on Earth, you'd die sad and alone, while I watch the sunsets and mourn your passing. I don't care about YOUR WANTS. The only wants I do care about are mine and right now? I really want you to leave me the fuck alone. Get out." Nate looked at her confused. "But. I was hoping I could stay the night with you." She took a breath and he looked at her. "Fine. I'll go, but this isn't over." She looked at him. "Actually this conversation is over and CODEX statue 113-890.2 states 'that if a Knight tries to pressure a higher ranking member of the Brotherhood of Steel, they are subject to a fine up to half of their pay, extra duty, confinement or all three. The official in charge can make that decision and not have to justify it.' I am the First Lady of Steel and the laws are to be followed to the Letter. You will be on extra duty for the next week. Should you speak to me in any way not proper, use my first name, do not salute me, I will extend the punishment until you realize the errors of your mistakes. You are dismissed Knight." He looked at her stunned as her door opened and Danse walked in. "Paladin? May I ask what is going on?" Danse saluted her. "No Ma'am. I was sent by the cook to see how you liked dinner, and wanted to know if you would like dessert, and tea?" She smiled. "Tell the cook his desserts are amazing and I would love whatever he has prepared. As for the tea, I would love an Earl Grey without the lemon. Thank you." Danse saluted her and she saluted back. "Danse?" He looked at her. "Yes?" She looked at Nate and cocked her head. "Please take the Knight with you. If he's going to learn what it means to be a Knight in the Brotherhood of Steel, he should know what is expected. Bothering me is not one of them." Danse nodded and looked at Nate. "If you'll come with me, I will get you set up." Nate nodded, Cordova's tone telling him he was on very thin ice.

Jay and Arthur sat in his Quarters stunned by what they heard. "He tried and failed. And he's going to keep pissing her off." Arthur nodded. "But I can also admit that voice she used on the Knights when she got here is scary powerful. Hope she doesn't use that on me one day." Her laugh was heard through the vent between their rooms and he smiled. "Need back up?" She laughed again. "Nope. Got cake and tea coming. So sucks to be you guys. I get cake and you get zip, zilch, and nada." Arthur chuckled as Jay shook his head. "You just have to rub it in don't you Treacle." She laughed and they seen a light. "Nope. Just proving why being a girl is amazing." They chuckled and the knock on her door made her sigh. "Cake. All mine." They heard her door open and a cart brought in. "Your dessert, and tea," She laughed. "Wow. That. That is a lot of cake. And four plates? Four tea cups. Wonder who I could invite for tea and cake? Hey Elder?" He looked at the vent and chuckled. "Yes." She giggled. "Know two guys that want some tea and cake? There is no way that I am going to be able to eat all of this. I mean I could, but then I would get a stomach ache, the ship would rock and I'd be harfing until the cows came home. So know anyone that wants to save me from the sugar crash, coma, and harfing?" Jay roared with laughter. "We'd love to come for cake First Lady of Steel." She snorted. "After dinner it's Cordova unless you piss me off. Then you better be saluting or I will find an interesting punishment." Arthur and Jay walked over to her room and knocked on the door, Danse opening it. "Oh great. Who invited the trouble makers? Oh wait. I did. But that's ok. I think they have enough for bail. I may need to rethink this." Danse laughed and she looked at him. "Don't laugh at the Elder. His ego is as delicate as a glass rose. One hit and it shatters getting glass all over." Arthur roared, and Jay was shaking his head. "You ever try not using sarcasm?" She nodded. "When I'm sleeping. Oh wait... Houston we have a problem. Oh wait. Nope. There goes Toyoko. They never seen it coming." Jay couldn't help but laugh along with her. Danse cut the cake and poured the tea, passing it around the coffee table. She looked at the three men and she felt sad for some reason. "You ok?" She looked up. "Yeah. This reminds me of Law School. We had a mock trial coming up and me and the three guys in the group were the defense team, and we were in my dorm, just like this and we were taking about the merits of the case. I made some pretty valid points about the evidence and they all looked at me and looked over the papers, they knew the case was a slam dunk for the defense, but for that one night, we were just for college kids pigging out on cake and soda. I wasn't the Sleepless freak, I was Cordova and it felt wonderful, like I finally had friends that accepted me." Danse looked at her. "What happened after that?" She sipped her tea. "Oh. We won and when we were interviewed by the Head Professor, we were all asked what we would do over and the three guys said and I quote, 'we should have asked to be paired with Cordova months ago. She was the real reason we won'. So every time we had another mock trial, we were a team. Word spread and the four of us stayed together. They passed the bar the same time I did and moved to different cities, but on the day of our first trial, no matter where we were, or what we were doing, we would all meet up, go to my house, Codsworth would make the same chocolate cake, Earl Grey tea and we would talk about our lives. Hell, I was the Best Girl in one of their weddings. My dress looked like a tux. But they were all in their twenties and I was seventeen. It's a good memory for me." She took the Pip-Boy off her wrist and looked at it, pulling a list of songs up and hit the play button. She smiled at the song as Arthur knew he heard it before. "What's the name of this song?" She smiled. "Nevermind by Dennis Lloyd. My music taste varies depending on my mood." He nodded and smothered the yawn. "Well, this had been fun Cordova, but I need to find my bed." She looked at Eric and nodded, standing up and walking with him to the door. "Thanks for having dessert with me. Same time next week?" He wrapped her in a hug and she smiled. "I will be here." She smiled and he let go, walking to his room. "Well we should also head to bed. The Elder has a meeting with the High Elders in the morning and they somehow seem to stress him out." Jay and Arthur stood up and she walked them to her door. "Thanks for coming too. This was nice." Jay kissed her forehead and hugged her. "Do I get the weekly invite as well?" She nodded. "Yup. This is a standing not date-date." He laughed and Arthur hugged her. "Thank you for having me. The cake was amazing, and so was the time spent with you. I look forward to it next week." She hugged him back and felt calm. "I'm glad you enjoyed, and I'm not so tense with you and Jay around. Don't know why." Both men left and Cordova cleaned up the mess, taking the cart back to the kitchen, the night crew on duty. "There is extra cake if you want some." She turned around and left the kitchen, the Scribes finishing the cake and did the dishes, talking about how nice Cordova was. Nate hearing every word.

When Nate got to his bunk, a few Knights watched him. "Just a warning. You hurt her in any way, you won't have to worry about the Institute, because you will be in a coma." Nate nodded and got to his bed and passed out, the fight between him and Cordova on his mind. When he woke up, he felt miserable, the dream messing with his head. Getting out of bed, he found a uniform and grabbed a shower, the realization of the conversation and how he was trying to run her life hit him, the guilt slammed into him and he slid to his knees, the water beating down on him. "I need to talk to her." Turning off the water, he dried off and put the uniform on, going to the dining hall. Walking in, he found Cordova sitting at a table and he walked over. "First Lady of Steel?" She looked up and Nate saluted her. "May I have a private word with you? I feel I may have put myself in a bad position last night, and I would like to discuss it with you." She stood up and looked at him. "You may. We will go to my Quarters." She turned around and Nate followed behind her. When they got to her Quarters, she opened the door and he walked in. "I need to talk to you not as the First Lady of Steel, but as Cordova." She sighed. "If your going to tell me how wrong I was, I'm going to stop you." He looked at her. "No. No. I'm the one that was over the line and wrong. I thought maybe if I pushed what I wanted on you, you'd agree like you always did and be ok, and I can see now that you would be trapped in what I wanted, not what YOU wanted and for that I am so sorry. I messed up our friendship and I hope you'll forgive me." She looked at him. "Ok." He stared at her. "What?" She shrugged. "I know you've had a lot thrown at you just like I have and I forgot that. You had a mental breakdown and I get that too, but don't think that I wouldn't love to be a mom, I just don't think I can be at this stage of my life Nate. I will be there for you and Shaun, but I won't be his mom. More like the cool Aunt that shows up at Christmas and does crazy things like climbing the roof and yelling 'ho-ho-ho-Merry Christmas.' You need to find a woman who will love Shaun like her own and will be the one there at the end of the day. That girl's not me." Nate nodded, thinking of Piper and he smiled. "I know that smile. You met a girl didn't you?" Nate nodded and looked at Cordova as her door opened, Jay and Arthur walking in. She chuckled. "Well I already don't like her." Nate laughed and hugged her, Jay and Arthur confused. "Take care of her. She's the best friend a guy could ever ask for." Jay nodded. "Things ok?" Cordova nodded, Nate walking over to hug her. "I'm glad your still here Dova. My life would suck without you in it." He let her go and walked out, Cordova wiping a tear away. "He's my best friend and the biggest ass I know. Well, second after the Elder." Arthur chuckled and looked at her. "But Nate realized that what I want, isn't what he wants and for him to demand I be what he wants would make me miserable. We all go through that at some points in our life, his just hit like a train." Arthur looked at her. "He is right about one thing. You are the best girl a guy could ask for." She smiled and cocked her head at him. "Do you want to spit it out or swallow? Because I'm good either way." Arthur choked and Jay pounded on his back. "I'm good." Jay looked at Cordova and sat down on the couch, with her between the two of them. Both men putting a hand on her knee.

Both men looked at her and she was confused. "What is going on? And what's with the look?" Jay and Arthur glanced at each other and looked at her. "The other Elder's want to meet you. They have demanded it actually. They are making plans to be here for a week and will be here Monday. They will have questions for you and you need to be honest with them. They don't know that you are Sleepless, and you have that in your favor." She nodded. "So be nice, keep my temper in check, and smile. Got it." Arthur looked at her. "There is more, and I know this is going to piss you off, but they will want to know your past relationships, partners that you have had, and your plans for children." She nodded. "That's easy. I've never had one, the only partners I had were in the Law Firm I worked for, and I am still on the fence about kids." Jay looked at her. "Treacle. They want to know about your sexual partners." She went red. "I've never. I'm still a virgin." Both men looked at her stunned and Jay nodded. "Ok. They will want a record of that." She shook her head. "No. If they don't believe me that is there problem." Arthur looked at her. "We know, but they don't. You never gave birth and we can have Neriah prove that if necessary." Cordova nodded and remembered to breathe. Jay spoke up. "That's not the only thing they will want to know. They will ask if you are planning on marrying the Elder when you come of age." She looked at him. "If you want to be honest I am two hundred and ten years older than he is. I'm not ready to get married if at all." Arthur looked at her. "You can tell them you want a long engagement. That you feel my duties are more important and that you want to make sure you know I am the one you want to spend the rest of your life with." She nodded, and looked at Jay. "Wait. The two of you are a couple. You two are committed to each other right?" Arthur nodded. "We are, but they want to know that you would be willing to marry me." She sighed. "I don't like lying. Hate it actually." Arthur patted her knee. "That's why you tell them you want a long engagement. They don't have to know and it buys you time." She nodded. "Ok. I can do this. I think they should know." Jay nodded. "Agreed."


	5. You read the rule book right?  Go ahead and toss it out a Window.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Cordova puts the crew to work, and the Prydwen is ready for the High Elder's. Finding out about her past, a High Elder and his wife are given stunning, life changing news and a High Elder makes a move Cordova knows well. Cordova shows she can hold her own on the dance floor. Taking a look at the John Doe, Cordova makes a shocking discovery.

Cordova had no idea what the three Elders were like, the little voice in the back of her mind telling her they won't like her. On a sigh, she looked at the two of them, and then to their hands on her knees. "What if they tell you that me being the First Lady of Steel isn't possible?" Arthur sighed. "They can't. They have to follow the CODEX as Roger wrote it. If they refuse, they know what can happen." She nodded. "Ok, but that doesn't change the fact that they want me to get married. They are forcing a choice on you as well Arthur." He nodded. "They have since I was born. But that doesn't matter. What does? Knowing that you can handle yourself." She nodded. "I'm going to point this out, but what they want, isn't fair to you or me. It's like they want your hands tied and for you to take what they give you and be grateful for the scraps. How is that fair?" Arthur sighed. "It is what it is Cordova and I live with it." She sighed. "So what happens if you have children? Are they allowed to be children?" Arthur stood up and paced. "No. From the minute they are born, they are prepared for life as a Brotherhood of Steel member. They don't have a choice, and neither do I. I would be nice for me not to have to watch my child tore down, and built back to the Brotherhood of Steel standards. My oldest son will be taught in the ways of policy and the laws, any child after that, will be put other places within the Brotherhood. They will leave home at ten and if they are lucky, be under the command of their brother." She nodded. "What if your first born is a girl? Would the same thing apply?" Arthur stopped. "Yes, but she wouldn't be in line for Elder. Only my sons." She sighed. "Well that sucks, and goes against the CODEX." He stopped and looked at her. "What?" She cocked her head. "No where in the CODEX does it state that a female can't be Elder. Statue 746-093.11, told me a lot. From what I read it doesn't say that any female born from a High Elder isn't allowed to be Elder. In fact, if a daughter is born first, she is supposed to get the same treatment, same training as her brothers, and if she is chosen for that, no other High Elder's can refuse her right." Arthur looked at her. "How did you get a copy of the CODEX, and when did you have time to read it. It took me years to understand it." She gave him a 'really' look and sighed. "Do we need to go over this again? I'm Sleepless, I have a background in law, and Quinlan gave it to me to read. It reminded me of the twenty pound law book I had in my first year. Look, the laws are not that hard to follow. But I know the man who wrote them, so getting into Roger's head was not that hard." Arthur looked at her. "I keep forgetting that you will always know more than me, and it's a little off putting." She sighed. "It's not that I am smarter. Ok, that may have something to do with it, but I am still trying to keep up and follow the bouncing ball. The High Elders have no idea about me, what I can do. You know them and that? That gives you an advantage that I don't have. Now, you two really should get ready for bed. Tomorrow is where I call for a full deep clean and it's going to be all hands on deck." Both men left her alone, giving her time to think.

Cordova hear the Boson call and she ground her teeth. "This ends today." She walked out and down to Kells' office standing in the door way. Kells noticed her and stood up, offering her a salute. She gave one back and looked at him. "We have an issue that I hope you solve or we are gonna have a whole other set of issues." Kells chuckled and looked at her. "What is wrong?" She looked at him. "The Boson call is way too loud. It needs to be lowered at night, so people sleeping are not jolted awake." Kells looked at her. "I will turn it down a little." She raised an eyebrow and looked at him. "Fine. I will turn it down to a three." She nodded and waited. "Now if possible." He walked over and turned the speakers down, looking at her. "Turn it back up when I leave, I will send the morning crew in here and let them tell you what they think. Also, I need you to make an announcement in the morning." He grabbed a piece of paper and a pen. "I need you to tell everyone on this ship that there will be a full inspection by the First Lady of Steel and the Elder. That means every inch of the Prydwen needs to be cleaned and organized. If it doesn't pass, they will spend their time redoing it to the Brotherhood Standards. We have guests coming, and that is all they need to know." Kells nodded. "On a personal note, how are you liking the place? The people?" She smiled. "It's amazing here. I had no idea that an idea Roger Maxson had would lead to all this. I never knew this is what he planned so many centuries ago. It's nice to see." Kells looked at her. "You knew the founder? That is." She nodded. "He was my God Father and raised me from the age of three. I miss him more everyday and wished he could be here to see the hard work he has done." A look crossed Kells face and she narrowed her eyes. "What are you not telling me Kells?" He shook his head. "Nothing. Well, I need to get back to work and you need to get things done of your own I bet." She nodded. "I do. You are aware that the three High Elders are coming for a week right?" Kells nodded. "Yeah, and I am not looking forward to the visit. They want something or someone and I cannot figure out who." She sighed. "I have a feeling they are coming for me. Call it a hunch, but this is not going to end well." She walked out the door, and Kells looked at the room. "I have a feeling you are right." He got back to work, leaving the sound system alone. Cordova walked back up the stairs and got to work, grabbing things from the supply closet. Taking apart the bed, she drug it to the hallway as a few Knights watched and helped her make sure everything was out of the way. Sweeping up the dust, she hummed to herself, when all the dirt was gone, she filled a mop bucket up and mopped the floor, cleaned the walls and base boards. When the floor was dry, a few Knights helped her get the bed put back together, Cordova going to find new linen for the bed. Walking to the trunk, she found the blanket she wanted and put it on the bed and grinned. She heard the wake up call and noticed that it was loud enough to be heard, but not loud enough to blast her eardrums apart. She took the mop bucket outside and tossed the water over the railing, walking back inside to start the day.

Arthur woke up and stretched, the conversation with Cordova playing in his mind. "You think too loud." Arthur looked at Jay. "Sorry. Just thinking about Cordova and her reaction to what I told her." He took a deep breath and smelled the cleaning chemicals. "I think you should stop and give her time to adjust to the news. Let her make the moves she thinks are right." Arthur nodded, as his door opened. "We have a lot to do today Elder and one of them does not involve you staying in bed all day. We have people coming." She looked at him as the announcement was made. "All Knights not on duty will need to report for cleaning detail. We have the High Elder's coming and this ship needs to sparkle. All missions that are not of importance, are put on hold. The First Lady of Steel and Elder will be inspecting your work and if it does not pass, you will do it again until it does. That is all." Both men heard a gun cock and they looked at Cordova. "What is that?" She smiled. "Paint ball gun. Let's just say if anyone thinks they can be lazy, that's not happening. The Paint balls leave a bruise the size of a dinner plate. Trust me, they hurt and pain is a great motivator. Learned that in Medical School. So unless you want to see first hand how this little baby feels, I suggest you get up, and get to work." She pulled the trigger, the paint ball hitting the ceiling. Arthur looked at the impact and noticed how large it was. "Damn. I'm up." She nodded and walked out. "No rest for the wicked Elder. Hope you slept well." She skipped down the hallway and left both men to get ready for the day.

Walking into the dining hall, she noticed a few people pissed off and she leaned against the door. "Why do we have to do this? They don't care what the place looks like. They are here to meet the Elder." She sighed. "Because it needs to be done. I have no idea how in the hell anyone can walk in this chaos. If the Founder was still alive, it would be a lot worse. I watched him tear a barracks apart because his men were more about partying and not being adults. I can do what he did and make you scrub the floor with a toothbrush. Keep bitching about what you need to do, I just might find a stock of toothbrushes and make you clean the Prydwen with them and trust me. It will take a lot longer than a mop and broom." A Scribe brought her a cup of coffee and she waved away the food. "I'm good. Thanks though." The Scribe walked away and Cordova looked at the people in the room. "I have a deal. If you make this place shine like glass, I will do something I have never done before." They all looked at her. "And what was that?" She sighed. "I haven't figured it out yet." John walked in and looked at her. "Your dance form is perfect." She shuddered. "That was just one song. You haven't seen me ball room dance." John nodded. "But it works. In fact, we should have a party when the High Elder's get here." The people cheered and she held up a hand. "That means you have to clean your asses off. Deal?" People finished their breakfast in a hurry and it made her smile. "Morning First Lady of Steel." She turned and looked at Nate, smiling at his salute. "You can stop doing that. I did it to prove a point. Do not confuse your rank with my authority." Nate roared as John looked at her. "I will need to use that." She laughed. "Yeah. Came in handy a few times. Now, we have to make this place shine. Nate? You up for this?" He nodded. "Hated doing it, but from what I heard, very necessary." She nodded and walked her empty mug to the dish tub. "You all have your orders. Make this place shine like a new pair of boots." She lifted the paint ball gun and people froze. "Non lethal rounds, but they hurt like hell when they hit you." John looked at the gun and smiled. "I doubt it works." Nate looked at John. "I think you need to rethink that. She does know how to shoot." John shook his head and looked at her. "Take a shot baby girl. I won't get mad." She smiled as Nate moved away from John. "This will make you wish for death John and I really like you." He snorted. "I can take it." She shook her head. "Don't say I didn't warn you." She took a shot, the paint ball hitting his massive thigh and he buckled, screaming like he was on fire. She watched him writhe on the floor, grabbing a Stimpak Nate tossed at her and hit John's thigh with it. "Holy Hell. That hurts." She smiled. "I did warn you." He nodded and watched the bruise fade. "Very effective. And painful." He looked at Nate. "Next time I shoot my mouth off, remind me of this and how it was a bad idea." He laughed and helped the man up. "I doubt you'll need the reminder." She walked out, the people getting to work. The paint ball demonstration in their minds.

Kells walked in to see Arthur's room torn apart, sweat running down the Elder's face. "I have another message. They will be arriving in two days. Storms are bad on the West Coast and want to be away from it." Arthur nodded and wiped his face on a rag. "Inform Cordova. She needs to be ready." Kells nodded. "I have a bad feeling about the timing of their visit Arthur. Cordova has a feeling they want something, or someone and she thinks they are after her." Arthur nodded. "I have that same thought, but I have a feeling she knows what she's doing." Kells nodded and walked out, seeing Cordova helping clean. "The High Elder's will be here in two days." She nodded, her eyes icing over. "I got this. Make sure your office is pristine. I will do a white glove test. Whatever is not needed, can go to the airport." He nodded. "I will make the arrangements." She smiled as he noticed the gun. "Loaded and not lethal. Hurts like you've been hit by a bullet though." Kells nodded as she put the gun in her room and closed the door. "Well, I should go and let you get to work." She nodded as Kells walked away, moving cargo where it needed to go. She found a large room and looked at it, Arthur and Jay walking up behind her. "Who is this room used for?" Arthur wrapped his arms around her waist. "The High Elder's. This is also the war room when they are here." She sighed. "And the room where they learn my secrets." Arthur nodded, Jay wrapping his arms around her too. "We won't let them hurt you Cordova." She shook her head. "We know that me getting hurt is going to happen, so fighting it won't help. I'm not ready for this, but if I don't do this, I will never be ready. And when new High Elder's take their place, I will have to do it all again. And I am not sure where I will stand on any of it. So I will do what is needed. And what I need to do now? Is clean this room and not worry about what might happen." She walked away from the two of them, pulling the linens off the beds and putting them in a pile. She took the room apart and six hours later, she had the room smelling clean. "Leave the window open and let air in this place. It smells musty closed up like this." Arthur nodded and opened the window, fresh air carrying the smell of the ocean. "We will need to host a party for them." Cordova smiled. "Already on top of it." Both men nodded as she closed the door.

She walked down the hallway, the scent of cleaners in the air, making her smile. "Are you sure you want to do this?" Nate nodded and looked at Danse. "Yeah, I think getting off and clearing my head will help me see what I am missing. Cordova made a comment when we were in the Vault and she was telling me that we were never supposed to leave. But we got out and that makes me wonder if someone pulled the strings on that." Cordova stood behind them and sighed. "You two look like your leaving?" Nate nodded. "We are, but it's a quick mission. Fat man shells or something. I just hope nothing goes wrong." She nodded and left them to it. She made it to her room and noticed Jay and Arthur sitting on the couch. "Want to tell me what is going on?" Arthur held out a sheet of paper. "They are bringing someone with them. I don't know much. They found him in a type of stasis. Wanted to know if Cade could help." She scanned the paper and her forehead wrinkled. "Pre-War stasis was tricky, but then again, Nate and I lived through it and here we are. I'm not seeing a name on it, so I'd assume it's a John Doe." Arthur looked at her. "A what?" She sighed. "When we had no idea who they were, we called them John Doe. Made things easier for charting purposes. I will talk to Cade and ask to help him in any way that I can. I see they did blood work and his white blood cell count has me a little worried." Arthur looked at her and had no idea what she was talking about. "White blood cells are a sign of being sick. At theses levels, ten to one odds say it's cancer. Not sure what they are going to use to treat it, but we have to try right?" Arthur nodded. "The only thing they found on the machine were the letters R and M. That's the only clue we have to go on." She nodded and set the paper on her desk. "I'm assuming the High Elder's are bringing him" Arthur nodded. "You know what you are doing, so I will let you do what is right." He stood up and walked out, Jay walking out behind him. "I have no idea what is going on, but whatever happens, I will take the hit and keep going." She walked the ship and made sure it was ready, the Boson call going out over the speakers and she smiled at how low the volume was. Grabbing some coffee left for the night crew, she made her way to her Quarters, putting the paper to the side, and she relaxed. Looking at the terminal, she sent over what she knew and Cade for his thoughts on it. She waited for him to reply noting the late hour. She sighed and read the paper again, the initials making her wonder who he was. Grabbing a note pad, she made a list of things that she was not going to talk about with the High Elders and she went over the list until morning wake up call.

Changing into her gym clothes, she went there and started doing yoga, conversations taking place around her. She wasn't paying too much attention to any of them when a few Knights took notice of her and started trying to break her focus. Jason walked in and shook his head. She opened her eyes and looked at Jason, nodding her head at his salute, and he walked over to her. "Good Morning. I have a question for you?" She cocked her head. "Why do I feel like this is going to be a loaded question? I hate loaded questions." He laughed and looked at her. "Maybe I'm not sure?" She snorted. "Go ahead and ask." He sighed. "I know the High Elder's are on their way, and I was wondering if there was a good time to start training?" She smiled. "I have time now if you want to get started. Be aware that I will be tossing you around the room." He laughed and looked at her. "I look forward to it, but they are due to be here in an hour. The Elder wanted me to inform you." Cordova sighed and punched him in the arm. "You are allowed to say you are not ready." He rubbed his arm. "I am ready, just duty calls." She sighed. "You have no idea. You are lucky. I have go and transform into a First Lady. How in the hell do you dress for that? I mean, what's wrong with how I dress?" Jason laughed. "No really? How do you dress for that? I have a feeling it's going to involve dresses so huge I need a crane to enter a room." Jason and everyone around her started laughing. "I hate this part of the job. Guess that is why I went to charm school. Plus college and it was one crazy time." She bounded out of the room and took off for her Quarters at a run, sliding into the door way, Jay and Arthur standing in the room, looking for her. "Can I go ahead and throw a hissy fit? Because there is no way that I have a dress fancy enough for this." Arthur looked at her and sighed. "We have that taken care of. All you need to do is take a shower." She looked at Arthur confused. "I was planning on it. Did Nate and Danse get back ok?" Jay nodded and she looked at him and then to Arthur. "Ok. Before I lose what's left of my mind, is there something that needs to be said?" Arthur nodded. "They want us to get married." She looked at him and did the only thing she could do. She laughed.

Jay looked at her stunned as she grabbed her stomach. "They want?" She laughed harder and it was making Jay concerned for her mental health. "They want us to get married? That will have on the tenth Sunday in the month of Not Happening in the Year of Fuck That." She walked away calm and went to the closet, grabbing a tea length dress, walking to her bathroom and turning on the water for a shower, Arthur looking at Jay confused. "She took that better than I thought." Jay nodded. "I do like her response though." Arthur nodded as Kells announced the Vertibird was five minutes away. Arthur looked at Jay and on a nod walked out, leaving Jay to escort Cordova out. When she walked out of the bathroom, she was stunning and Jay almost swallowed his tongue. She walked over to him and turned her back to him, her scent flooding his nostrils. "Can you zip me up? I can't reach the zipper." He pulled it up and she let her hair fall. "Thanks. All I need are my shoes and I am ready to get this over with." He looked at her and could see the nerves. "They are going to love you Treacle. If not, it's their loss." She nodded. "I just want to be me. No expectations of what anyone else wants, and marriage? Are they out of their minds? I am in no way ready for that." Jay nodded. "We can stall if you prefer." She shook her head. "No. Doing that will piss them off and I don't need that stress either. Let's just go and get this over with. They are here for a week and that's already too long for me." Jay looked at her, walked over and opened the door, waiting for her to leave first. When she stepped out, he closed the door, and offered her his arm. "You look amazing Treacle and just remember, they don't choose your life. You do." She smiled as a Knight opened the door. "I know. Just keep reminding me of that ok?" He nodded as they walked outside and down the stairs joining Arthur and the three High Elders. "Elders, I would like to introduce you to Cordova." Three pair of eyes looked her over and she had to fight to take a step back. While she stood there, one of the Elders looked at her. "It is customary to bow to us." She snorted. "I must have missed the crash course on what to do for the High Elders." He looked at her. "Cute. But you will know your place if you want to be accepted as the Elder's wife." Cordova snorted, and the Elder looked at her, her arm in Jay's. "I think we should all go inside. It smells like rain and lunch should be served soon." The Elders nodded as Arthur offered Cordova his other arm and she took it, letting both men lead her inside. When they were all in the meeting room, the women ignored Cordova, instead whining about how they were missing their daily cocktails and Cordova rolled her eyes. Arthur kept her arm in his and leaned down. "What do you think?" He asked in her ear. "Not sure what they are waiting for. Not like I'm going to go out of my way for them. They are adults if memory serve me correctly." Arthur looked at her as a wife walked over to her. "What are you waiting for? You are the Elder's host so host us." Cordova took a step toward the woman and Arthur let her go, Jay walking over, because she drug him with her. "I am not your host sweetie, and if you ever talk to me in the 'I am better than you' tone so help me God, I will take your tongue, wrap it around your throat and strangle you with it. I am the First Lady of Steel and I am not your maid, your lackey, or whatever the fuck you think I am. Bitch I am a pre-war Lawyer, and keep running your mouth, I can and do know how to sew someone's lips shut." The woman looked at her and she took a step back as Elder Mitchel walked over to his wife, shooting Cordova a look, glaring at his wife. "This is why I never take you with me. You try to act better than people. I should have brought my wife." Cordova looked at Arthur, he eyes wide. "That's not your wife Elder?" He looked at her. "She is my second wife. The first is at home with our children and couldn't attend. I must admit the pictures the Founder left do nothing to prove your beauty." She looked at him, and then to Arthur. "So the minute I walked out, you knew who I was." The Elder's nodded. "Good to know. Anyone else want to open a can of bitch beans?" The two other wives said nothing. "Good. Let the fun begin." She watched the men get their wives to their seats and they waited for Arthur to lead her to the table, her at the helm.

She looked at the chair and then to Arthur as he pulled it out. When she sat down, he pushed the chair in for her and she shook her head. "Lunch will be here in a minute, and I hope you enjoy what has been prepared." They nodded and Cordova looked at him. "I need to go and take care of a few things." He patted her hand. "What is wrong?" She shook her head. "I have a feeling the Inquisition is about to begin." She scooted her chair back and she stood up. "If you all will give me a few minutes, there is something I need to grab from my office." She took a step and Jay walked over to her. "Leaving is a sign of disrespect. What did you need?" She sighed. "A guidebook, and the notebook off my desk. I have a feeling things are about to get ugly." Jay nodded and scooted her chair back in, Arthur looking at her. "You ok?" He asked in her ear. "I have a feeling the questions are about to start and I have questions of my own. I need you to give me a ten second crash course on who they are." He sighed. "Elder Mitchel has more than one wife. He always brings the first, so I have a feeling the story he told you was true. They have four children together and the second wife is his sexual and control release. The second is Elder Martin. He and his wife have three kids and they are all under the age of ten. Two boys and a girl. Their daughter is their oldest. She's six. The last is Elder Condor like the bird. He and his wife are purists, and think that alterations to the CODEX are wrong and they make sure to say that as loud as they can. They have no children. She wanted them, but he couldn't have them." Cordova nodded as Jay walked in carrying her notebook, followed by a Scribe who served the women first and the men second. Cordova waited for everyone to start eating, Arthur nudging her. "They are waiting for you. As First Lady, you get the first of every dish, and they are waiting to see if you like the dish before they take a bite." She nodded and picked up her fork, cutting a small piece of the chicken and chewing it. "This is good. Please, enjoy." Arthur's hand rested on her lap and it relaxed. "So how are you adjusting young lady?" She looked at Elder Condor. "I am learning as I go." He nodded and his wife looked at her. "So when are you and the Elder planning to marry." She choked on the bite of chicken as Arthur and Jay patted her back. "Pardon?" The woman smiled. "It's only right that you and the Elder marry for you to keep your title." She looked at her husband and cocked her brow. "Actually per the CODEX, my getting married is not required for me to be the First Lady of Steel. You should know that, are you and your wife not purists when it comes to the CODEX?" He nodded. "We are, but we assumed you would be older than the Elder." She looked at Arthur and realized they had no idea. "I walked out of Vault one-eleven two weeks ago. I was frozen for over two hundred and ten years. I walked out with my best friend Nate, as we were the only two left alive." Condor looked at her and then to Arthur. "Is he your lover?" She shook her head. "Hell no, but I would love to toss his ass in a wood chipper most days, and twice on Sunday's." Arthur chuckled as Condor went red. She read the rest of the table and on a nod, Elder Martin looked at her, taking a sip of the wine that was served. "If I may ask, how did you and Nate meet?" She sighed. "He was at the Police Station to pick up a soldier. I was there to keep said soldier from going into the Brig. He looked at me, insulted me, and I threw Latin at him. He moved into the house across from mine. He lost his wife and son when we were frozen." Martin sighed. "I am sorry for his loss." Cordova looked at him, and nodded. His wife looked at her. "How do you feel about children? Do you want them?" She sighed and sipped her water. "I do, but with everything going on, having a family is not in my plans at the moment." She nodded. Elder Martin looked at her. "Do you feel the need for children to carry on their Father's name?" She sighed. "That is a very loaded question Elder, and I am not sure I understand what you mean." He looked at her. "If you and the Elder got married, you do understand that the children belong to the Brotherhood of Steel and therefore will be taught from birth the BOS way." She nodded. "I don't agree with that." He looked at her stunned. "In what way?" She sighed. "As my child's mother, I should have a say in how they are raised. I assume you have Squires?" He nodded. "You want what is best for them?" He nodded. "Ok. If I were a mom, I would hope that I would have some say in what my child does up to the time he or she is called to serve the BOS." He nodded and patted his wife's hand. Elder Mitchel's second wife looked at her. "How many men have you been with? You must have the men lined up at the door." She sighed. "Not really. They are afraid of me for the most part." She looked at Cordova. "That's not possible." Cordova snorted. "When you plant a Paladin on the floor, your foot on his throat, that kind of sends a message. That and kicking a Knight across the room and dislocating his knee makes a bigger statement." Elder Mitchel looked at her and then to Arthur who gave him a nod. "Do you have a problem with being the second wife?" She looked at him. "Yes, but let me explain why. I am the First Lady of Steel and I do not play second to any woman. That may work for other Elder's and that is their choice, but I don't see me having another wife in the mix. I'm a very Type-A personality." He nodded. "So have you slept with a man before?" The woman's voice went shrill and Cordova wanted to punt the bitch into the wall and Mitchel knew it. "No. I have not. And no, I have no plans to change that anytime soon." She caught the Elder's eye and he winked at her, causing her to sigh. "Is there anything else?" Elder Condor looked at her and she knew what the question was before he said it. "Are you in fact Sleepless?" She sighed. "Because we need to know if that was the reason you were made the First Lady of Steel." She shook her head. "The reason Roger Maxson made me First Lady of Steel? Is because he was my God Father and knew that no other woman could hold the rank he wanted for me. And if I am or not a Sleepless doesn't matter to this conversation." Her leg bounced under the table and Arthur knew she was angry. She knew they were watching her and were waiting for something. On a sigh, she grabbed her notebook. "Sunt fieri? Vel facere volunt ad colligunt meam praeteritam vitam seorsum? (Are they done? Or do they want to pick my past life apart?)" Arthur looked at her and he shrugged. The three High Elders looking at her. "What did you say?" She looked up. "Nothing of importance." Condor looked at her. "What language is that?" She smiled. "Latin. It was a dying language before the war, less that four thousand people spoke it before the Great War." They all nodded and went back to eating, Elder Mitchel watching her.

When lunch was cleared away and dessert was served Cordova picked at hers and wasn't in the mood to talk anymore. "If you ladies will excuse us, we have some other matters to discuss." She looked up. "No, you want to talk about me without me hearing you. That is an insult and I find it tacky. But if you feel the need, go ahead. Don't know how that many egos will fit in the same room." Jay snickered and covered it with a cough and she looked at him. "Pardon." She sighed as they left, the men kissing their wives on the cheeks as Arthur waited. When the men left, Jay was there in case she needed the help. "Isn't he yummy?" She looked at Mitchel's second wife. "I mean my husband is amazing, but if I had my chance with Elder Maxson I would take it." Cordova stood up and walked over to Jay. "I have a feeling I am going to punt her over the railing the first chance I get. She keeps messing with me and I will break her face." Jay looked at her and shook his head. "Ten caps on you. She is a moron." When the four men returned Cordova filled Arthur in on what happened, letting him know she was going to the Gym, needing a workout. She boxed with John and talk turned to the party and when asked of she was going to dance, she nodded, her and John deciding on a Paso Double. She walked out of the Gym humming 'Castle by Halsey' and had a bounce in her step. She made her way to the Medical Bay and seen the Stasis chamber. Looking at the read out, she sighed and let it fall back to the floor. Writing down a few notes, she left the room wanting to get a shower and get ready for the party.

She walked into her room, Mitchel and his wife were there, he was sitting on her couch and the woman was at his feet, silent as a mouse. "Why are you in my Quarters?" He looked up and the woman was staring at the floor. "We were hoping to talk to you." She sighed and walked to her closet and looked for the right dress for The party. "About how you want a third wife, when you can barely handle the second?" He looked at her surprised. "Who told you?" She shook her head. "Doesn't matter. I'm not interested, but your second wife would love to see what Maxson can do." He looked down at the woman sitting on the floor, and didn't say a word. "And I think your first wife would have a big problem with it." He looked at Cordova. "She knows how to handle who I am with." Cordova shook her head and looked at him. "You are only trying so you can say you tagged the Virgin. I knew guys like you, and frankly, I'm still not remotely interested." The knock on the door made her look over. "Enter." Jay walked in wearing a tux, the bow tie undone. "I think I need professional help." She laughed and walked over, tying the bow tie and sighed. "You look so handsome. The girls are going to be all over you." He sighed. "I'll go change." She held up a hand. "You can say no." He looked at the Elder on the couch. "Find a dress?" She nodded. "Two actually. One for the thing with John, and for the rest of the party." Jay looked at her. "Oh that's right, you and John are doing a dance." She nodded and rolled her shoulders hearing them pop. "You aright?" She nodded. "Part of the dance, he has to drag me around by my hair and since that's a hard pass, he's going to use my arms. I need about five minutes to change into yoga gear. I need to stretch like you would not believe." She walked into the bathroom and Jay sat in the chair, taking a look and noticed the bed was flush against the wall, and he had no idea what it was doing there. When she walked out, she was in a pair of yoga pants and a crop top, the ring in her navel the same. "Do I want to ask about the bed?" She stretched and looked at it. "Oh, I found a way to turn it to a Murphy Bed. Gives me more space to move." She did yoga and faced the room, her back to the bed. "So what else do you have planned?" She sighed. "Well, I was going to talk to the Elder about an idea I had." Jay chuckled. "Like he's gonna say no." She looked at him, her body balanced on one leg. "Well, not when it involves the Squires, paint ball guns and mass chaos? Think he'll have a litter of kittens." Elder Mitchel snickered and Jay looked at him. "Agreed. But I say wait until you can plan better." She nodded. "I planned it out, but a pack of screaming Squires is not what we need right now. Not with." She let the comment drop, Jay understanding. "If everyone can get out, I can get ready." She looked at the Elder and he looked at her. "We'll wait right here." She sighed. "Actually you won't. I do like to gather my thoughts and can't do it if you're here. Please leave before I have you removed." He looked at her. "You never gave me an answer." She looked at him. "I already did, now get out before I make an Elder shaped door in my wall." He stood up and looked at her. "I will talk to the other Elder's about this. Don't get used to the scenery. You will be on the first plane out of here and on your way to my home." She snorted. "I doubt that." He looked at her. "Take your wife and stay away from me." He looked at his wife and snapped his fingers, the woman jumping up and walking out. "I will get what I want." He walked out and Cordova knew this wasn't over. "You need anything?" Arthur walked in and looked at her. "We need to talk." She nodded. "Close the door." He locked it and walked over to the couch. "Mitchel is going to use his position to force you into a marriage." She nodded. "I am aware. Wants the two other Elder's to back it. I know Condor won't, but Elder Martin, I'm not sure about." Both men looked at her, unsure of what to say. Cordova walked into her bathroom, nerves tense, from not only having to dance, but Elder Mitchel trying to force her to do what he wanted.

While she took her time in the shower, Jay and Arthur were talking, Elder Mitchel returning and he looked at Arthur. "What are you doing here? Trying to pluck the peach before it's ready?" Arthur scoffed. "We are actually escorting her tonight. Your wife getting ready?" Mitchel nodded. "I just wanted to see what she looked like fresh from the shower, her beauty on full display." Jay looked at him and realized he hoped he caught her alone. Her bathroom door opened and she came out dressed in a pair of jeans and a t-shirt. Looking at the men, she shrugged, grabbed a brush, flipped her hair over and ran it through her hair and started humming. When she was done, she flipped her head up and left it loose. Mitchel left because she was being guarded. When she knew he was gone she locked her door. She walked to the bathroom and walked right back out. "What if the other High Elder's caught Arthur and I in the act?" Jay looked at her. "Pardon?" She sighed. "What if Elder's Condor and Martin caught us in the act, Arthur and I. Mitchel would have to back off because I'm not a virgin anymore. That's the only reason he's pulling this." Arthur looked at her stunned. "I can't do that." She nodded. "I'm not saying we really do it. I have a flesh colored sports bra and the shorts blend in with my skin tone. You just need a pair of shorts that can match a black blanket." Jay looked at her and knew it was a bad idea. "If you think it will work. I can make up some fake blood to prove it happened. Spread it on the sheets in case Mitchel presses for proof. It can literally pass for human blood." Arthur looked at her. "They will ask if you are with child." She sighed. "My cycles are pretty much not there because I am on birth control. Helps with the migraines." Arthur nodded. "They won't know about the birth control because it's in my arm, by my arm pit. I know it's there, but no one else." Arthur nodded and looked at her. "You don't have to do this." She sighed. "I know, but Mitchel thinks he can use me for my body and thinks that gives him a clear shot at being my consort. All he does is make my skin crawl." Arthur nodded and looked at her. "When do we do this?" She sighed. "Tonight. We will leave the party late and Jay will wait for an hour thinking something happened and send the three High Elder's to the room and we will either be going at it, or since Condor is the only one that knows, will think we are just enjoying the post booty call glow." Arthur nodded and walked to the door, Elder Condor and his wife standing there. When she filled them in on the plan, they agreed, her nerves evaporating.

The dance was a hit and Cordova caught Arthur staring at her all night and it made her wonder if he was going to back out. She turned and Mitchel and his wife were right there. "Enjoying your last night as a single woman?" Cordova tried not to roll her eyes as Arthur made his way to her and kissed her lips. "That was amazing and I hope you do that again." She blushed. "John and I have been working on it for a while and since the High Elders are here, I thought it would be fun." She faked a yawn and looked at Arthur. "Well, I am going to turn in. Parties aren't much fun if you can't have what everyone else is having. Good Night." She walked away, Mitchel watching her leave. "To me a fly on her bedroom wall. Wonder if she sleeps naked?" Arthur looked at him. "No, she sleeps in a zipped up pj thing. She was up late one night and went to the kitchen for a snack. I was there too and we talked. She likes them. Says I should find a pair. Well enjoy yourselves, I have things to do in my office." Mitchel watched him leave, and watched the man go to his office. His wife begged for a dance so he indulged her, not wanting to hear her complain. An hour later, the party was ending and on cue, Jay walked over the Elder Condor and both men left, Mitchel wanting to know what was going on. Opening her door, Jay threw on the lights, all three men watching her across Arthur's chest, breathing hard and both covered in sweat. Arthur looked at Condor and then down at Cordova, her face peaceful in sleep. "What have you done?" Mitchel stormed over to the bed and noticed her body naked, Arthur looking at him. "I claim her as my wife." Mitchel looked at him. "I need her for my branch. She is a pure bloodline and our children will be raised in the best life possible." Condor looked at Mitchel. "You hold no claim. The Elder asked her to marry him earlier and she accepted." Mitchel looked at him and then to Cordova. "I will ruin your children's life. She will see what happens when I don't get what I want." She snuggled closer to Arthur, making him smile. "That's the thing. She can't have them. She was born infertile and that was our only issue. I don't want children and since she can't have them there is nothing stopping us from being together." Mitchel stormed out, and Cordova opened her eyes. "He needs to be removed as Elder and punished for his crimes." Elder Condor nodded. "It will be done when we return." She got out of the bed and walked to her bathroom, changing into lounge pants and a t-shirt. "Was there anything else you needed Cordova?" She shook her head. "I have a lamp, and I will lock my door after Arthur leaves. Make sure the Elder stays in his room." The High Elder nodded and walked out.

The next morning Cordova acted like nothing happened the night before and was enjoying her coffee when Mitchel slammed a tray down in front of her and glared at her. "You embarrassed me last night. Condor and I found you with the Elder. Have you no shame? I had to take care of things with my wife." She looked at him confused, the meeting with Arthur, Jay, the High Elder and his wife on her mind. "Did something happen to Maxson last night?" Arthur set his tray beside her. "Did I hear my name?" She sipped from her mug. "Yeah, but did you hurt yourself after I left?" He shook his head. "No. Did something happen last night?" She shrugged as Mitchel seethed. "The High Elder and I caught you both in bed last night. Do you not remember? You claimed her." Arthur shook his head. "That must have been some strong punch they made." Cordova laughed. "Heaven help me when I turn old enough to drink. Make sure Toyoko is warned ahead of time. Just to be safe." Arthur chuckled as High Elder Condor and his wife sat down at the table. "Amazing party last night. Markus and I don't think we've ever had that much fun. How did you sleep?" Cordova sighed. "I didn't?" Mae laughed at looked at Mitchel. "Are you ok? You look pissed off." He stood up. "Your husband caught the Elder and Cordova in bed. I was there! He claimed her and everything." They all looked at each other stunned and Jay walked over. "Morning. Is my head on right? Whatever was in that punch was not what I was expecting." Cordova sighed. "And in Mitchel's case, see things. Can you believe that he thinks Maxson and I slept together? Said you and High Elder Condor seen it. Makes me glad I can't drink if that's what happens." Jay nodded. "You did seem pretty drunk. But a lot of people were." He looked at all of them and felt he was losing his mind. "No. She was naked, in his arms. I wasn't that drunk." Jay nodded. "I think you need more sleep." Mitchel grabbed his tray and stormed off. Going to wake his wife, he came back. She blinked at him and he forced her in the chair. "Did you see the Elder and Cordova in bed together." She shook her head. "No, but you were screaming at me about it. Babe, I don't know what's going on, but I think we need to get you back to bed. The time change is messing with you." He calmed down when she started rubbing his knee. "This isn't over. I will take what I want and none of you will stop me." She looked at Mitchel. "Wait. If you found us in bed together, and I was asleep, that's not possible, so I think you need a break." They looked at her and Mitchel opened his mouth. "Why not? Everyone sleeps." She stood up. "Can anyone tell me the lie within this sentence?" Everyone looked at her. "I had the most amazing DREAM LAST NIGHT." John stood up and chuckled. "I am going to say you are the last Sleepless on the planet so you dreaming, is a lie." She looked at Mitchel. "I was genetically altered to never require sleep. If you had been in my room I would have known. But I wasn't in my bed. I was helping clean up from the party." He looked at her and she grabbed her cup of coffee. "Never try to say you see things. You might end up with a prescription for stress meds. Now if you all will excuse me, I need to see what is going on with the John Doe that was found." She walked away, Mitchel babbling like a crazy man. Cordova walked in and noticed Cade at the Stasis tank. "How is he doing?" Cade looked up and smiled. "His body is responding to the chemo. But the initials R M is a mystery. Hell, I don't even know when this unit was made." She looked at it. "The year Twenty Fifty-Five. They were used when I was in Med School." She ran her hand over the glass and tried to look inside, to see who was there. When the face turned to her, the room spun. "R M. Oh God. I need to get Arthur. I know who this man is." Cade looked at her. "Who?" She put her hand to the glass. "Roger Maxson. My God Father." She ran out of the Medical Unit and found Arthur in his office, two of the High Elder's there. "Cordova! What? Are you ok?" She started to shake. "I. I. I know who the John Doe is." He looked at her. "Who?" She swallowed. "Roger Maxson." He grabbed her as she fainted, carrying her to Cade. "She fainted." Cade looked at Arthur stunned. "I ran the DNA, and it's a match." Arthur looked down at Cordova. "This changes everything." Arthur looked at her. "I know." She looked at the tank and had no idea what was going on.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope that you all are enjoying this so far with the rewrite. I am trying to get one chapter out a day, (If my brain doesn't fry first LOL) Keep up the amazing work you are doing and I am grateful you took the time reading this.  
> Song used in this Chapter: Castle by Halsey
> 
> Update/Edit: 31.01.2021


	6. Why am I doing this?  Oh right.....it's what I trained to do.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Roger comes out of Stasis and has no idea how much time has passed. Arthur has personal questions about Cordova and he doesn't get many of them. Cordova goes to Good Neighbor, and finds that she misses verbal sparring with idiots and helps a father out.
> 
> Song used in this chapter: Pachelbel Meets U2.
> 
> Update/Edit 01.02.2021

Cordova got out of the bed and looked at the tank, her mind going all over the place. "I need to know everything Cade. I want everything that the machine spits out and sent to my room. I may have some old books that cover the Stasis Chamber, but I would need to look." She walked out, leaving Cade to do what she ordered and her mind was a mess. As she walked down the hall, Arthur walked with her, trying to wrap his mind around what happened. "You think too loud Elder." He looked at her. "Sorry. Just a lot going on." She nodded as they walked into her room, Elder Mitchel sitting on her leather couch naked, his wife masturbating on her bed. "Are you fucking serious right now?" The woman jumped as Elder Mitchel looked at Cordova. "You're bed was empty and my wife was horny. You were gone so." She looked at him and then to Arthur. "I swear to whatever God the BoS believes in, that if they are not removed from my room, I will be forced to use the PBG and that bitch is killer on unprotected skin." Arthur looked at her and sighed. "The two of you have three seconds to get dressed before you are tossed out of here naked. You broke into the First Lady of Steel's bedroom. You both do not understand personal space. And the other Elder's are going to think your wife is a whore." Mitchel looked at Arthur and threw on his robe, his wife grabbing hers, both of them walking out without a word. Cordova called out to the Elder. "I'm billing you for a new bed and linens. That is bullshit. Oh and your wife needs antibiotics. Cum should not be green!" She heard his intake of breath and she slammed the door, watching Arthur's face. "Let's get this cleaned up." She looked at him and sighed. "There are times I am glad that I don't need to sleep, because now is one of those times." Arthur chuckled, and tucked a lock of hair behind her ear. "You should just have the bed removed. It will make them stay away." She sighed. "Should I get rid of the furniture as well? Because we both know they do this to annoy me. The Elder wants to break me, but I am a lot stronger than he is mentally. Plus I can do a lot of damage with PBG and we all know it. They can't run me out of my room and they hate it. So let them try, because the next time? I'm setting fire to the bed with them in it." Arthur wrapped his arms around her waist, causing a sigh to escape her lips. "You ok?" She nodded, and turned in his arms. "Yeah. Just, no one seems to think I get tired. Tired of the drama, and bullshit." He nodded, and held her closer. "What are you doing Elder?" He looked down at her. "Nothing. Just thought you could use the hug. Is that wrong?" She shook her head. "No. Just don't make it a habit. You'll get attached and I will have to break every bone in your body so you know what real pain feels like. It will make me feel guilty because you are a nice guy most of the time." He chuckled and she looked at his uniform closely. "There are a lot of buckles on this stupid thing. How long does it take you to get naked?" Arthur went red and looked at her. "Are? Are you flirting with me?" Cordova looked up at him. "Nope. Just wanted to know so I can stay as far away from them as possible." He laughed and looked at her. "I can get it off in minutes." He pulled the suit and she heard the Velcro coming apart. "You are a genius and that is also cheating." She laughed and he looked down at her. "I am many things." She pulled away from him and knew that she needed space before she did something she would regret. Arthur looked at her and walked out of her room, the feeling of regret slamming into him.

Three hours later, after the gear was packed away, the three High Elder's found Arthur in his office reading a file. "Well, it has been an honor being here Elder Maxson. If there is anything that you need, please reach out to us again and we will be here in whatever way you need." Arthur nodded. "I am glad that you all made the time to meet with me. Safe travels home." The Elder's nodded as Cordova walked in, Elder Mitchel looking at her. "Is there anything I can do to sway you into coming with us? I know my men would love to meet a beautiful woman like you." Cordova rolled her eyes and looked at him. "I'm sure. I live here so there is nothing you can say that will make me change my mind." She glanced and Arthur and noticed his small smile. "Well, since I have a lot on my plate, I will let you men talk and I wish you safe travels and clear weather home." She walked out, leaving the men behind, and noticed the wives. "I am so ready to be home. I miss the chill in the air, the smell of the ocean. The sounds of the Squires doing Squire things." Cordova looked at Elder Mitchel's wife and sighed. "We used to get snow here. It was pretty and I miss it." The wives looked at her. "You are lived here before the war. I keep forgetting that." Cordova nodded. "I wish I could to sometimes. But we often forget was was, for what is. Did I think that my life would end up here? No, but I am following the bouncing ball and going from there. For once I am glad I got to meet other people. Aside from the BS, I am glad you came. Shows me what my future looks like." The three women looked at her as Jay walked in. "What does that mean?" Cordova sighed. "I can see what will happen when I take my place in the ranks here. That maybe me being a Sleepless isn't the worst thing that can happen." The women laughed as the High Elder's came to collect them. Elder Mitchel looked Cordova over and smiled. "Are you sure you don't want to join us? We would love to have you." She rolled her eyes and looked at him. "Nah. Your men would have no idea what I can do and I would hate to make you look unfit for your job. Besides, I am happy here and this is where my life is." The Elder nodded and walked out, his wife walking behind him. The other two Elder's said their good-byes and the wives gave Cordova hugs, promising to keep in touch. Walking out with them, she noticed the look between the Elder's and knew something was going on. Unlocking from the Prydwen, Cordova watched the plane take off and pretty soon, it was a black dot on the horizon. She looked at Arthur and knew something was wrong. "Want to share with the rest of the class what the problem is? Or do I need to guess?" Arthur walked over to her and held out a sheet of paper. "I'm sorry. But this is what they want." She scanned in and looked at him. "I refuse." She walked past them as Jay read the paper. "Are you really going to do this? She has already made her feelings quite clear on the matter Elder. To force this is taking away her choice in the matter. Plus she out ranks you." Arthur nodded. "I know. But they think this will make the other units come back into the fold and I." Arthur stopped, looking at the water. "I don't know what to tell her. I need to know why she is so dead set against the idea." Jay nodded. "Her wants come above your own Elder and we all know that." Arthur nodded and watched as she walked inside.

Cordova walked inside and made her way to the Medical Bay. What she seen made her cross the room at a run. "Cade? What happened?" Cade looked at her and smiled. "It seems the King woke up from his really long nap." She snorted as Roger looked at her. "Noli rogare te volo? (Do I want to ask?)" Cordova shook her head. "Nisi verenon vis veritatem cognoscere. (Not unless you want to know the answer.)" Roger nodded and looked at her. "I am glad to see you." She nodded. "You as well. Nice to know that Latin still rolls off your tongue." Roger laughed as Cade looked at the two of them. "I will inform the Elder." Cordova nodded as Cade walked out of the room and she sat on the bed. "You look like you want to punch something. What happened?" She sighed. "A lot of things, and I don't know how to handle them." Roger looked at her. "Well, you do always get the hard jobs. Look at this one as one of them as well and see what happens." She sighed as Arthur and Jay walked in. "I hear the patient is awake." Roger looked over and gasped. "Who are you and why do you look like my son? How long was I in Stasis for?" Cordova looked at him and sighed. "We have no idea. I am hoping that the computer can tell me what year you went in. You had a very aggressive form of cancer Roger. No idea how that happened, but I am hoping the results tell me what I need to know." Roger smiled as Arthur looked at her. "Wearing your Doctor's hat I see." Cordova chuckled. "Yeah. Not much call for lawyers in this time frame. I should tell Nate that you are awake. He probably has a lot of questions for you." She rushed out of the room and Roger sighed. "That girl has two speeds. Run and sudden stop." Arthur laughed. "I know. But she is good at what she does." Roger nodded. "What rank do you hold here?" Arthur looked at him. "I hold the rank of Elder. My name is Arthur Maxson." Roger nodded and looked at him. "Have you been treating her well?" Arthur nodded. "She holds the rank of First Lady." Roger nodded again. "Good. I made her First Lady because I knew she would need it. It's not because she's my God Daughter, it's also because of her Sleeplessness." Arthur sighed. "She hates that rank you know. She was hit on by another Elder because of it. She was pissed when she was told you made that rank for her." Roger smiled. "She is stubborn and has her own way of doing things. Did I like it? No, but that is how she is. She has had a interesting life and she needs space and time to grow." Jay nodded and looked at Arthur. "So she's going to do things in her own time, is that what you mean?" Roger nodded. Pretty much, but don't try to force her into doing things your way. Trust me. You will want to rethink your life plans." Arthur chuckled. "About that. The three high Elder's want to force her into marrying me. I already know it's a bad idea, and she has thrown out a suggestion that other women come here to see if they would fit into my...life as it were. How do you think I should approach this?" Roger shook his head. "With a full hazmat suit and riot gear. If Cordova gets pissed off enough, she will shut down and shut everyone out. It only happened once and that was when she was eight and realized her parents were truly gone. Poor girl was in therapy for years. That's why she went to Medical school. She wanted to help people. She is a great Family Doctor, but her back ground is in Mental Health. Graduated at the top of her class. She had several of her papers published and while she hated it, she knew it was a part of who and what she was." Roger sighed and watched as Cade walked back in and looked at Roger. "How are you feeling?" Roger shrugged. "Like myself. Not much has changed in that area. Cordova is a good Doctor, you could use someone like her." Cade nodded. "She saved a Scribe. So I know what she can do." Roger nodded as Cade got to work. "I am going to clear you for light duty." Roger nodded as Cade held out a flight suit. "Figured you didn't want to have your ass showing to the world." Roger chuckled and looked at Cade. "Wouldn't be the first time that happened. Probably won't be the last." Cade laughed as Roger got dressed. "I have Quarters ready, if you want to rest and get your bearings." Roger zipped the suit up and looked at Arthur. "I can do that." Arthur nodded and walked out, leaving Roger no choice but to follow.

Cordova was sitting in her room a pen in her hand, the radio playing. She smiled at the song as it came on the radio. Lost in memory, she didn't hear the knock on her door, until Nate and Danse walked in. "I remember this song. You played it on the violin." She nodded. "I don't play anymore, but I still love the song." Danse looked at her confused. "I am not going to ask." She smiled. "It's hard to explain anyway. What brings the two of you to see me?" Nate looked at her and sighed. "Just wanted to check in. See how things were going." She sighed and stood up. "They've been better. Oh, Roger is awake. He knows that you are here, and make sure to see him when you can. I know he's happy to be alive and has no idea what is going on." Nate stared at her, shocked to the core. "He's alive?" She nodded. "Yeah, he was placed in a Stasis chamber and just woke up a few hours ago. He has no idea about Holly or Shaun, so break that news to him gently. I am not sure what his reaction will be." Nate nodded and turned back toward the door. "how do you feel about it Cordova?" She sighed. "I haven't really thought about what it means long term. If I'm being honest, it hasn't hit me all the way yet. I have a few things I need to take care of for the Elder, and I might need the two of you to help me with it." Nate and Danse both nodded and left her alone, the pen still in her hand, the notebook sitting on the table. "Ok, so how do I want to word this?" She wrote down a few general things for the contract, and was staring off into space when Jay and Arthur walked in. "Is this a bad time?" She looked up and shook her head. "Not really. My brain is trying to compute legal words into non legal applications and it makes my brain go dumb." Jay laughed and walked in, Arthur walking in behind him. "What is the contract for anyway?" She sighed. "It's a prenup to a prenup. When the women get here, they will need to sign this. One is for when they get here, and the other is for the one Arthur chooses. That's the only way I can explain it, and it still make any type of sense." Arthur nodded. "What happens if I don't choose?" Cordova sighed. "We do it again. You need to be married Elder and we all know this." He sighed and sat down in a chair. "What happens if I don't find her? I don't find my soul mate?" Cordova shook her head and heard Roger's voice from the doorway. "Then you don't get married, and still keep your Elder position." Cordova looked up to see Roger standing in the doorway. "What do you mean? The CODEX states that an Elder must be married by the age of twenty-two. And have at least two children. What am I missing?" Roger walked in and sat down on the couch beside Cordova. "That the law never applies to the High Elder's. I would assume that Arthur here is one?" Arthur nodded. "I am. I am High Elder based out of the Capital Wasteland, but I told you I was an Elder a few hours ago." Roger nodded. "Took a direct hit then?" Arthur nodded. "Yes. We have a few minor fights, but the men and women I left behind are handling whatever pops up." Roger nodded and looked back at Cordova. "You seem upset." She shook her head. "No, just thinking about things. Nate. Me. You. This place. The forest for the trees." Jay looked at her. "That's what we are here for. We are here to keep you from stressing out." She sighed. "It doesn't help that I am stressed out about a lot of things I can't control. One of them is how things are going to go when everyone I know and love are gone from my life. You will go back to the Capital and I will be here, trying to carve out a life. Who knows, I may just dust off my Medical Degree and be a Doctor again." Arthur looked at her confused. "I had hoped that when the time comes, you'd go with us." She shook her head. "I don't think that would be a good idea. Too many things could go wrong. And if the Elder is married, I doubt his wife would want me to be there." Arthur looked at her confused. "I don't plan on getting married until you do." Her jaw dropped and she went red. "I am not getting married because I will have to bury him one day and that thought alone kills me. There is no way to turn a Sleeper into a Sleepless and when I figure out how? I will let you know." Roger knew she was getting upset and he looked at Arthur. "I think you need to stop trying to push her. Remember what I said. Cordova? I want you to listen to me." She looked at him. "I just want you to be happy, for no matter how long anyone has. You are different, and we all know that. But you need to let go of the fear. Fall in love, get married, and forget about the clock that is ticking. You deserve to be happy." She sighed. "That sounds perfect Roger." He smiled. "See? Now you get it." She held up her hand. "Let me finish. What I was going to say was it sounds perfect on paper. Human's aren't paper Roger. They live and breathe. And I'm sorry to burst whatever bubble you got going on, but I don't see any of that happening. Ever." She stood up and walked out, the three men watching her stunned.

Arthur looked a Roger and he was shaking his head. "She has changed a lot and I am not sure that is a good thing. What happened to the young woman that could take on the world?" Nate looked at Roger. "The resulting mess is what happened. She lost some of her innocence and I can't get that back for her." Roger nodded. "I should talk to her. Clear the air." Nate nodded. "She thought you were gone Roger. She mourned in her way, but now that you are alive, it makes her rethink what she knew." Roger nodded and stood up, following her out. He had no idea where she went until a Knight pointed to the door, causing Roger to smile and go after her. Walking outside, he seen her looking out at the water. "You always found the waves to be a source of peace." She looked at Roger and sighed. "Felt like home. But now? Everything is a mess and I am left wondering if the war was a message? Shape up or we will destroy what you know and love? Fall in line and bad things won't happen anymore." She swiped the tears away as Roger walked over to her and held her. "Let it out, it will make you feel better." She sighed and looked into his blue eyes. "It doesn't work that way and we both know it. I don't know where I stand anymore Roger. I have three High Elder's demanding that I marry Arthur when I told them it was never going to happen, and one Elder that thinks if he pushes enough I'll say yes to whatever he wants. He doesn't want me Roger. He wants to break Arthur and using me to do it? That's wrong on so many levels. I never should have left the fucking Vault. It would have been easier for everyone." He shook his head. "But not for you my dear. You don't just see the black and white, you live in the world of grey. You have people that love that you're a Sleepless, and other's that want to be what you are. I know you think that life sucks right now, but it could be a lot worse. You could still be frozen in the Vault. How did you get out anyway?" She looked at him. "One day the pod opened and I was able to get out. I have no idea how or why, but I did find out that the cryostasis was a science experiment to see how long term cryogenics would affect the human body. Well, we all know the fault in that logic because Vault-Tec isn't around anymore. And I would have loved to know why? Why us? What did they know that the rest of the US didn't?" Roger nodded. "You may have to go and find the answers that you seek on your own." She nodded. "Problem with that. I highly doubt the Elder is going to give me a free pass to go and look. I don't think he likes what I am too much, he just tolerates me." Roger looked at her. "What do you mean?" She sighed. "We had a difference of opinion about things." Cordova looked up as Roger turned around. "You pulled the Maxson control card and Cordova wasn't having it?" He nodded. "She set the ground rules and I just tried to follow what she was saying." Roger looked at her. "Why do I have a feeling your temper snapped and the Elder here had no idea your temper is not something to handle lightly?" She sighed. "No comment." Roger snorted and looked at Arthur. "Never piss her off, she may have not been born a Maxson, but she sure does have our tempers." Arthur nodded and looked at her. "Cordova? Nate wanted to ask you a few questions and I think he wants to talk to you about something." She nodded and looked at Roger. "See you at dinner. Time to see what Nate needs." She walked up the stairs and went inside, Roger looking Arthur over. "Never make her cry." Arthur looked at him. "I have tried not to." Roger sighed. "She doesn't cry much and when she does, it means things are bad for her and the chain reaction is not something you want to see. Trust me." Arthur looked at him. "Who was he?" Roger looked out at the water. "A Professor. She heard great things about him and wanted to take his class. He treated her worse than you would a dog. Openly mocked her, failed her on purpose and made her work harder than any other person in that class because of what she was. And no matter who she talked to about it, she was told to suck it up, do the class, and ignore him. She was the only female in a class of thirty and even the males were sick of how she was treated. It all came to a head when she took the final and she failed it. She got every answer right, but he said that she cheated. He went so far as to tell her that the strip club down the street takes college drop outs, he had no idea that she was already a Doctor. She was pissed. She told him that his bias against her was going to be the reason he got fired and would be blackballed and never teach again. See what she didn't know was the Dean's son was in the class with her and had been to a few of her tea and cake study sessions, and on the day this happened, his father was sitting in the classroom and heard it all. He was fired and she passed the class." Arthur looked at him and wanted to pound the professor in the face for her.

Cordova looked at Nate and nodded. "I can see why you feel this way Nate, but finding your son is the only goal you should have right now. What if something happened to Shaun? Then what? How would you feel about it?" Nate looked at her. "I get what you are saying, but I am terrified of finding the answers to what I don't ask." She nodded. "I get that, but look. Shaun is your son. You know he's alive, and you are being pulled in two different directions. I have been there and it sucks. Just...do what you need to and get back here safe." Nate nodded and stood up. He walked over to her and gave her a hug and left to find the next step in finding his son. Cordova knew she needed space, to find the calm she needed for the next step in her life. The rap on the door frame made her look up to see Jay and Arthur standing there. "Bad time?" She sighed and shook her head. "No, just thinking about a few things. The women coming here and the space required. I should go to the Airport and see if there is any space there, if not, then it's back to the drawing board. How many workable settlements are there here?" Arthur shrugged. "I don't have accurate numbers because the people here are unsure. They don't know anything about us so that makes them...." She nodded. "Leery. I know how that goes, trust me. But if possible, I could go down and see what the tone is like? See who you are being talked about and see if there is a space big enough. But I am going to be as open as I can. There is no way at this time that I think you should be getting married. I have made that as clear as possible, and I am granting you a two year extension to the rule. I doubt you have the space or time to deal with this with everything going on and quite frankly, I can not have you distracted. Because if you are, we all die. I know that is not something you want to hear, but it is the truth. I have sent word to the other Elder's in the form of a letter and used official language to do it. Questions? Comments? Snide remarks? Or if you are mad, get over it and get over yourself. I do not have time to hold your hand or deal with your fragile ego or fee fee's. Not my job and I don't get paid enough to deal with them." Arthur nodded as Jay stared at her. "You really need to relax more Treacle. You seem....stressed." She snorted. "No? Really? What in the fuck gave you that idea? Could it be that for the past week I have had an Elder breathing down my neck trying to force a marriage? That's can't be the only fucking reason." She looked at Jay and sighed. "In case you never got the memo, that was sarcasm." Jay nodded. "Thanks for telling me. I never knew." She snickered. "Just keeping you on your toes. But I do need to get out of here for a few days. I have a few things I need to do on my own. Without the shadow, baby sitters, or handlers. I can handle myself alone thanks." Arthur nodded. "I would feel better if you took someone with you. Call it a safety net." She sighed. "I can take care of myself you know. This is of a personal nature and the less people involved, the better." Jay nodded. "You could try Good Neighbor. I heard there is a jazz club there." She smiled. "Well, looks like I am going there. Alone Arthur." He nodded and looked at her. "I will send you with a lot of caps. It might clear the way for you a little bit." She nodded and got ready to leave, as Arthur looked at Jay. "Are you sure about this? I have heard lots of things about settlements here and I heard that is one that we need to stay away from." Jay smiled. "You? Yes. Treacle? No. They have no idea about her, so that will come in handy."

Half an hour later, she was on her way to Good Neighbor with a stop at Diamond City if there was time. As she flew over the city, she really looked at the damage and shook her head. She had no idea it was this bad, and she was locked away in a Vault, while people died. Her heart broke and she let the feeling go as the Vertibird landed. "When you are ready, shoot a flare and I will come get you." Cordova nodded to the pilot and got out, the ten grand in caps, sitting in a bag at her hip. "Let's just hope the Natives are friendly. If not, we are so beyond fucked, all we need is lube and a barrel." The pilot laughed and took off, leaving Cordova to look at the gate. "When in Rome..." She pushed on the gate and walked in, people stopping to look at her. She let out the breath she was holding as a man walked over to her. "That's the second new face in less than a month. You ok Princess?" She snorted. "The last man that called me Princess was pounded to paste. I regret nothing." The man laughed and looked at her. "Well, I would ask if you fell from the heavens, because you look like an Angel Kitten. You got a name to match that quick tongue of yours?" She smiled. "Cordova. You are?" John's eyes went wide as he looked her over. "I know that name. A guy named Nate talked about her." Cordova shook her head. "Figures." He looked at her. "Nate could never keep my name out of his mouth." John nodded. "You know Nate?" She sighed. "I was his neighbor before and after the Vault." John smiled. "Well then. A friend of a friend is still a friend." Cordova chuckled. "I hate to break it to you, but that would make me your enemy. And I don't want that. Need more friends that enemies right now." John nodded. "I am John Hancock. I am the Mayor of this fair city. I can get you want you want at a price, but I am willing to cut you a deal." Her eyes narrowed. "I will own your soul before you did anything Mr. Mayor. I am not a girl you want to play fuck fuck games with." He nodded, surprised that she got things so quickly. "I am not nor am I in the market for a quick lay. I am a bad bet when it comes to that." John looked at her and sighed. "Do I want to ask why?" She looked at him. "You speak Latin?" John smiled. "I do. Why do you ask?" She sighed. "Ego ultima bello Pre somnis vigilat. Ego quoque glacie duraretur camerman. Et non sum solus feminam somnis vigilat. (I am the last Pre War Sleepless. I was frozen in a Vault. I am also the only female Sleepless.)" John looked at her stunned. "That means?" She nodded. "Yeah, but I am not wanting that to get out if you feel me." He smiled. "I do. So what brings you here to my fair city?" She smiled. "The need for air and space. I have been cooped up for way too long and I need air." John nodded and looked over as his name was called. He looked at her and smiled. "Well, I hate to cut this short, but it seems I am needed. You going to be ok on your own?" She nodded. "I will. Just do your thing and I will do mine and I hope that they both don't overlap." He smiled and walked away and went inside, leaving her alone with her thoughts. She wandered around so she could get the layout of the city and found the Third Rail and walked inside, the bouncer telling her to go down the stairs and so she went and noticed the people first and then the music and it made her smile.

Mac was sitting at the bar and felt Cordova coming. When she walked over, White Chapel Charley looked at her and put of his best people voice. "What do you want? All I have is beer." She sighed. "I'm good thanks. Not much of a drinker." Mac scoffed. "Then you are in the wrong place sweetheart. This is a bar." She looked at him and scoffed herself. "That attitude may be all fine and good in Dog Patch, but here? Not so much. So you can either take the pike out of your ass, or I will do it for you and beat you bloody with it." He turned and looked at her, stunned for a second by her beauty. "You can beat me however you want. Hell, I'll let you get the first hit in for free." She grinned. "That's all I need. You want to be Billy Badass, I am going to fill you in on what will possibly happen. I hit you, you hit the floor, bust your head open and bleed out. And that means I will have to stitch your head wound and I have no idea what germs you carry. So I don't see how that would work for me. You on the other hand, would bleed out before I made the first stitch." He stared at her and swallowed the shot of whiskey sitting at his elbow. "I doubt you can take me." She narrowed her eyes. "You might think that, but I did kick a guy across the room, and dislocated his knee. You really are either stupid or drunk and I am going with the former more than the latter." Mac got off the stool and looked at her, just as a voice called out. "Mac? Be nice to my guest. She is welcome company." Mac looked over and noticed John walking down the stairs. "Little girls shouldn't run their mouths." She snorted. "Galli et sensibus uti pueris sistamus cerebro. (Little boys should stop thinking with their cocks and use their brains.)" John roared with laughter as Mac looked at her. "I have no idea what you said, but it sounded like an insult." She just smiled as Charley handed her a can of water. "More like logic. But I doubt even you could manage that." He slammed the glass down and took a step toward her. She flipped him onto his back and for a second Mac forgot where he was. "I will kill you the next time you touch me. Piss me off, and I will raze this place to ash and be damned what happens after because of two reasons. The first one is I know how all the pressure points on a human body, and two, I can make you disappear without a trace and I know enough of the law to make it look like you left on your own." Mac looked at her, his jaw on the floor. "I doubt you know what you are doing." She smiled as a man walked over to the bar and looked her up and down. "Mac? You hitting that? Or is she fair game?" Cordova shook her head and throat punched the newcomer and all movement stopped. "The only 'fair game' I see is how fast you can run from the dinosaurs that are running loose here. I went against one and it would have been fun to make it into a pet, but sucks for me." Mac looked at her and to Deacon who was struggling to breathe. "Deep breaths help. Can't tell you want to do about the feeling of sand in the back of your throat. Oh wait, yes I can. Don't say stupid shit and I won't beat the fucking brakes off of you. Run your mouth again and think about what I will do to you the next time you speak without thinking. I came here to relax, not be looked at like meat." She took the can of water and she walked over to John and said something in his ear, getting a nod and she left. Mac watched her leave and glanced at Deacon. "I have a feeling she is getting warmed up." Deacon nodded as John walked over. "You two are the biggest reasons we can never have nice things here. That is a very good friend of mine's best friend and she is pissed. She also has the BoS in her pocket and I have a feeling they are going to come and pay me a visit. If they do, neither one of you will like what happens. That young Lady has been through more hell than both of you combined and I dare either one of you to fuck with her. She knows what she's talking about and back in the day? She was the one you called when shit went sideways. She is a rare breed and not for you mutts to fuck with. Now, you two better make tracks because if she sees you, she will do whatever she thinks is a good idea. So go and leave her alone." Mac and Deacon nodded as John left, both men sober and ready to get to bed. Deacon threw his arm around Mac's bony shoulder and both men laughed. "She was hot." Mac nodded as they made they way to the gate. "I'm not saying that did happen, and I am not say that it didn't. I'm just saying...no comment." Mac and Deacon looked at each other and walked to Daisy's door. "You need something Mac?" Cordova turned around and she rolled her eyes. "Just saying good night Daisy. Dec and I are heading out." Daisy looked at Mac. "You boys stay out of trouble. There are bad things happening and I would rather you crash at my place." Mac shook his head. "I doubt the new lady in town would like that." Daisy looked at Cordova and then to both men. "What did you two do?" Mac held up his hands. "They are men." Daisy looked at Cordova and chuckled. "Good point. Head on up. You both look wiped." Mac nodded. "I am. Hey, the information you got me was wrong. I searched the place high and low and didn't find the medication." Daisy shook her head. "I'm sorry hun. It was what I was told." Cordova looked at Mac. "What is going on? Maybe there is something I can do to help." Mac looked at Cordova. "Unless you are a Doctor, I doubt you can help." Cordova shook her head. "I am actually. How old is the patient?" Mac looked at her. "He's a kid. My son actually." Cordova nodded as Mac walked out and sat on the bench. "My son Duncan is sick. I have no idea what happened. One day he's playing, the next, he's covered in blue boils and is too weak to walk. No one knows what it is or how to help him. I came here to find a cure and so far? Nothing. I can't lose my son. He's all that I have left of my wife." Cordova nodded and knew what he was talking about. "Want the good news or bad news?" He looked at her. "Just tell me what it is." She sighed. "There were a lot of cases like that before the War. It sounds like a few things and I am not sure what to make of it." He looked at her confused. "What do you mean?" She sighed. "When the bombs exploded, a lot of chemicals were probably released in the air. Toxins and things of that nature. Give me two days and I will see what I can find out. If it is what I think it is, I can have an antidote made in a few hours." Mac looked at her. "What do I owe you for this?" She smiled. "Your soul." Mac looked at her and without thinking he nodded. "Done. You heal my son and I am yours to control." Cordova smiled, grabbed the flare gun and walked out of Good Neighbor, hoping she was right about what she thought it was.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry that it's taken me a few weeks to write this. I started a new job and school takes a lot of my time.  
> UPDATE: There is a plot twist coming in the next chapter and it will take everyone by surprise.


	7. I don't think this was covered in the OSHA manual.....

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Cordova sends Nate off with the cure for Duncan, and brings Roger and Danse with her to her house where she finds what she needs from the hidden database. In talking to Preston, she finds that she's not as alone as she feels. Nate and Danse go off in search of Virgil in the Glowing Sea.

Cordova sighed, the cure in her hand as Nate walked into the Medical Unit. "Hey Cordova. Whatcha got there?" She looked up and smiled. "Just the man I was hoping to run into. Think you can do me a favor?" Her grin told him all he wanted to know. "Will I be shot for this?" She shook her head. "I don't have plans to, but the other guy may try." Nate laughed and it made her giggle. "Who is it for, and do they know it's coming?" She nodded. "It's going to a guy named Mac in Good Neighbor. It's for his son Duncan." Nate nodded. "I've heard of him. Pretty nice guy, and great with a gun. Heard he's a sniper." Cordova sighed. "Figured you'd be better at taking it to him. You both dad's and all." She turned and found a small box, writing a note on the top of it, and closed it. "I am not sure what you are trying to say, but consider it done." She smiled and held out the box. "Get this to him and I just might invite you for tea." He looked at her, his eyes wide. "You would do that? You've never had me for tea." She grinned. "I know. There was a reason and that is you had Holly, and the whole 'Mine. Stay away.' thing going on so I didn't want things said about either of us." Nate nodded. "I know it's not enough, but I am sorry for every rotten thing she ever did to you. You didn't deserve it and I am sorry I never caught on." She waved it away. "That's past Nate. Look forward to what happens next." He nodded, grabbed the box, and left her on the Medical Unit to think about things. "Is this a bad time?" She looked up to see Danse standing in the door way. "Not at all. What can I do for you Paladin?" He walked over and sat in the chair. "I need to talk to someone about something, but not sure what to do." She nodded and grabbed a clip board. "Do I need to find a crowbar to get what's eating you out?" He laughed. "I'm not sure. A few Knights were talking about you and how you don't do anything fun. I guess word of our bet came out, and they want to kidnap you to make sure you have fun." Cordova snorted. "Wow. Forced fun. Who knew?" He laughed. "This isn't funny. The last time someone tried to stop me, I had my heel pressed against their throat. Do you really think kidnapping me is a great idea?" Danse rubbed his throat. "No, but I can see why they want to do it. You are running yourself thin helping people, and they just want you to-" She held up a hand. "You say relax and there will be an issue. I can't just go where they want me to. Unless you are out of the loop, I have a bullseye on my back and people gunning for me. Or that what I've been hearing on the radio." Danse had the grace to wince and it told her everything she needed to know. "That's not news to you is it?" Danse shook his head. "No, but we do have a few ideas on how to keep you safe." She leaned against the desk, her right ankle over her left and she looked at the Paladin. "What did you have in mind?" Danse noticed the line on her ankle and didn't say a word.

Roger was looking at Arthur. "You are out of your mind if you think she will go along with it. Who had this great idea?" Arthur sighed. "A few Knights came to me with this idea, and I have to say it's a good one." Jay walked in and looked at them both. "Well, on that we have a problem. She isn't willing to go along with it. I heard her and Danse talking about it. Back to the drawing board." Arthur sighed and looked at Roger. "You know how to distract her. What worked?" Roger snorted. "Not sure if they will work now, but I think I can do something. Where is she going? And how fortified is it?" Jay looked at Roger. "We were thinking the Airport. No one can get past the guards we have posted. Oh and before I forget, Nate just left. Said he had a mission from the First Lady she wanted him to handle. Know what that's about?" Arthur sneered. "She's helping that.. gutter rat. Promised a cure for his son." Roger looked at Arthur. "And she took an oath to heal Arthur. Personal feelings aside, it is what she was trained to do." Arthur nodded. "I get that, but why him? He's nothing." Cordova walked in and didn't look at Arthur, but kept her eyes on Roger. "If I see anyone come at or near me, it will end badly. I don't care what you idiots are planning, I want no part of it. I am not a toy you can move around. I have a few things back home I need to take care of, and I will be gone for a few days. Just wanted to give you a heads up. Oh and I am taking Danse with me. He knows how I do things, and I like him watching my six." She walked out leaving the men stunned. "Well, that's the law according to Cordova. I wouldn't push." Roger stood up and smiled. "Don't worry. She learned from the best. Me." He chuckled as he left, wondering if Cordova wanted a third person along for the trip.

Nate landed outside of Good Neighbor and walked into the gate. Scanning the crowd, he noticed Mac with John and they looked like they were not happy about something. Walking over, he waited until the conversation was over. "I wouldn't do that if I were you. You have more to worry about right now." Mac sighed. "All I need is the cure and I am gone, and I will be bringing my son back with me." Nate cleared his throat and both men looked at him. "Help you?" Nate held out the box. "I'm looking for Mac. I have a package for him." Mac looked Nate over as John chuckled. "I don't think he's here." Nate sighed. "Know where I can find him? I think Cordova is going to skin me alive if this doesn't get to him." John chuckled and looked at Mac. "Why didn't you say so? Is that the cure she sent for my son?" Nate looked at him. "Depends. You Mac?" Mac nodded. "Yeah. Sorry about that. People gunning for your head makes things a little difficult." Nate nodded. "I know how that goes. She left the instructions for dosing on the box, and I hope your son gets better." Mac opened the box and closed it. "Tell her that I owe her my life, and that if she ever needs me, all she has to do is snap her fingers." Nate smiled. "I will let her know. But I think you might not be needed." Mac nodded. "Well, here's the thing. She told me that when all was said and done, she wanted my soul. I'd give it to her willingly if she took it." Nate grinned. "That sounds like her, but the thing is, she would never take it. Just knowing that your son was going to be ok is what matters to her." Mac nodded. "Well, I guess I should get going. It's a long walk back." Nate held up a hand. "Nice thing about Cordova? She wants me to take you on the Vertibird. She wants to make sure nothing keeps you from your son." Mac looked at the box and then to Nate. "I can never repay her for this." Nate nodded. "I can't either, and she has been my best friend for years." Mac looked at Nate and smiled. "Looks like we both are pretty damn lucky." Nate laughed and led Mac out. "Yes we are." Nate led Mac to the waiting plane and they left, hoping to get to where they needed by sunset. Mac looked at the box, and knew his son was lucky, and not all people would do for him what Cordova did.

Roger looked at her and sighed. "You have got to be out of your mind Roger. There is no way that I am taking you with me." Roger looked at her. "It's because I'm old isn't it?" She sighed and shook her head. "No. I just don't want you getting hurt by what you see. My home took a beating and I don't want you to see that." Roger looked at her and sighed. "I can see the damage from the windows. Your home really isn't going to change what I see Cordova." She pinched the bridge of her nose in frustration. "Ok, fine. I don't want you getting hurt. You just came out of stasis not too long ago. If anything were to happen, it would be my ass in the breeze." Roger laughed as Danse walked in. "I am going and there is nothing you can say that will change my mind, so suck it up." She dropped her hand at Danse's chuckle and glared at him. "Fine. I'm leaving in five minutes. Get ready." Roger looked at her, and chuckled. "I am ready. Let's go already." She shook her head and knew that there was no way to stop him. She walked out, leaving Roger and Danse to follow behind her, both men unsure of what was going to happen. When they left, Cordova had a feeling that Roger was going to hate what he would be seeing. Half an hour later, she looked over at his whistle. "I had no idea." Roger hopped out, Cordova and Danse right behind him. "Yeah, it's a mess." Roger nodded as Preston and Strugis ran over to them. "State your business here." Cordova stared Preston down. "I still live here. Now back off before I lose what is left of my temper and you find out what happens when I am pissed off. My reason for being here are not of your concern and I do have just enough fire power to have you forcibly removed. So next move is yours Skippy." Preston looked at her and then at Roger. She pushed past him as Roger looked at the man. "A word of advice. You won't feel the bullet when it hits you. She is better than a sniper and can hit from a longer distance. Also, she owns this land so you might want to play nice with the person holding the cards, or in this case, the deed. You are here because she is too nice sometimes, and while that is a good thing, people that piss her off lose the most in the end." Roger walked by him, Danse following behind, leaving Preston and Strugis stunned with the news. "Well, looks like we both have to dance to her tune if we want to get things done right." Preston looked at Sturgis. "Fine. I can be civil if I have to." Strugis looked at him. "You can't be civil and we both know it. You hate her for surviving and that's not fair. She was in the Vault and you forget that. So unless you care about laying your head down in a safe place, you might want to realize that she has lost way more that you ever could." Preston looked at him. "What do you mean?" On a shrug, Sturgis walked away, hearing her voice ringing out.

She was looking at Codsworth and she held up a hand. "That's enough Cods. Let the man breathe." Roger looked at her. "We are just catching up, so why don't you get what we came for, so we can go." She shook her head. "You two are more than welcome. I have a few things I need to track down before my return." She walked inside her house, leaving the three men outside. "She is pissed." Roger nodded. "At who? Or should I ask what?" Codsworth sighed. "Everything." Roger and Danse nodded as she walked back outside, Preston and Strugis walking up. "As much as I would love to battle wits with people, I have something I need to take care of. Roger? You hold down the fort and keep people from killing each other. I am off to see the Wizard and find out what he knows." Roger laughed as she walked off, taking the path the the Vault, and ignoring Preston. "She always been like that?" Roger nodded. "And worse. She has a lot on her mind and just might let you live if you stay away from her." Preston nodded and watched her make her way up the hill. "Think she'll be ok?" Codsworth looked at him. "No, but that is not your concern." He floated inside the house, Danse and Roger following behind him. "So why are you here Roger? How did you survive?" Roger looked at him. "That can wait. We are here to make sure Cordova relaxes. You gonna help?" Codsworth floated off toward the bedroom and came back with a bottle. Reading the label, Roger held it out to Danse. "This is her favorite bubble bath. Codsworth makes it so she knows what is in it. What else you got Cods?" The Butler floated away and came back with a box. "All of her favorites are here Sir. Should I make sure they are hidden?" Roger nodded. "I will get these to the Vertibird." Danse took the box and walked out. "I can take it. Besides, I have a feeling she will be back soon." He closed the door, and ran to the waiting plane. "Keep this out of sight. It's for her." The Pilot nodded as Danse rushed back, to see more things being packed in a footlocker.

The grinding of metal on metal rankled her nerves, but she was only here for one thing. Answers to why. Pulling out her weapon, she wanted to be ready just in case. Ears on alert, she heard nothing, and that made her sigh. "Now that my nerves have settled, on with the show." She made her way to the office and pulled out the chair and sat down. "Now, why were we frozen and locked away?" She hacked the system and pulled every file, order, and note off that she could, hoping she got the answers that she needed. When the tape was done loading, she removed it, placing it in her pocket. Walking out, she made her way to the other terminals and got the information off those as well, aware that the address was where she really needed to look. Closing it down, she walked out, not wanting to see anything else. She walked back to the Platform and as it rose, she knew she would not be returning to it, but Nate had every right to come back and talk to his wife. When it got to the top, she looked around and then at her Pip-Boy. "I am really late for dinner. Hope Cods isn't too pissed." She walked down the path, aware that she wasn't alone. "I can hear you breathing. Say what you need to and then leave me alone." Preston walked out from behind a tree. "What do you want?" Preston looked at her and she narrowed her eyes. "Look, I know I am an ass." She ignored him and kept walking. "You really don't like people do you?" She stopped and turned around. "I like people just fine, I just hate the ones who think just because they have a penis, that they can make the rules. Look around you. This is what happens when men think they know better, try to rule. I don't hate people. Just how they act. Now get out of my face and we won't have an issue." She continued up the path as Preston raced to catch up. "Look, I was wrong. This is your home and me trying to keep you away is wrong. I'm sorry." She snorted and shook her head. "You must really think I give one fuck about what you are saying. News flash: I don't. I wasn't kidding about having you removed. I will if I have to and then burn this place to the ground. So if you ever see me return, stay away from me. Are we clear?" Preston nodded. "Good. I am late for food and you bore me." She walked away, Mama Murphy watching her and then Preston. She went back inside and didn't say a word to anyone.

She opened the door to see Roger and Danse passed out on the floor, and she smiled. "They tried to wait mum." She sighed. "It's two am. They both need to rest. Did they have dinner at least?" She looked at him. "They did, and knew you were probably busy. They didn't say much as they were worried about you." She nodded. "I got what I came for. So all I have to do is wait until dawn." She looked at her butler and shook her head. "I feel guilty Cods." He looked at her. "Why? You did nothing wrong." Sitting at the kitchen table, she looked at the guys sleeping. "I lived when a lot of people didn't. When I was leaving, I knew that I played a part in their deaths. I know I didn't, but that doesn't stop the guilt that I lived, Nate lived while everyone else didn't, and I still have no idea why I got into the Vault. And that is what bugs me. Why was I chosen while so many people didn't." She sipped from the mug Codsworth placed in front of her, and let her mind drift. "Maybe you were supposed to rebuild." She shook her head. "I doubt that. There are a lot of things out there that can kill me and I am not talking germs." She chuckled as Preston walked by the glassless windows. Checking to make sure things were ok, he looked at her. "You should be sleeping like those two are." She sighed. "That won't happen so don't bother trying." Preston looked at her and shook his head. "May I come in?" She sighed. "Sure. Their sleeping so it looks like conversation with you is it." He chuckled walking in. "Mama Murphy said something that I need to get your take on." Cordova looked at him as Codsworth set the coffee mug down in front of her. "Ok. Care to fill me in?" Preston pointed the laser musket out the door and looked at her. "She said that you are running from Fate and if you want the answers you just need to ask the right questions. Do you know what she means?" Cordova sighed. "Yeah. But the answer is complicated." Preston looked down at the mug Codsworth placed in front of him. "How is it complicated? You ask and the Universe answers." She snorted. "Yeah, and the Universe and I are not on speaking terms at the moment. Things about me are..... let's just say they are complicated with a side of that's fucked up. I can't ask the question because I already know the answer and have since before I went into the Vault." Preston set the half empty mug down and looked at her. "What was the question? Maybe I can help." She sighed and looked at him. "Dubito vos scitis quomodo verto adultus Dormientis in Vigiliis. (I doubt you know how to turn an adult Sleeper into a Sleepless.)" He looked at her confused. "Care to translate that?" She shook her head. "Not really. More of a rhetorical question than a real one. Sorry, but I can't tell you about my life before the war other than it sucked. I am a Doctor and was a Lawyer. I had a ten year life plan and that got blown to hell. Look, it's been a hard day for me and when you were trying to talk to me on the path, I wasn't in the mood to talk. But thanks for what you said. It helped a little." Preston smiled and scooted back from the table and stood up. "Well, I better patrol some more. I'm here to listen if you ever feel the need to talk." She smiled as he left, her mind on other things. Watching the sun rise, she hoped that things would get better going forward.

Danse slowly opened his eyes as Cordova sat at the table, looking over the files she found on her Pip-Boy. Slowly getting up, Codsworth floated over. "Good Morning Sir." Danse grunted as Cordova snickered. "Danse is not much of a morning person. Hell, he doesn't even sleep in on the weekends when he doesn't have duty." She clicked her tongue. "The stress alone will kill him unless he relaxes and we all know that will never happen. Hell it's a shock for me to see him out of his Armor, but then again, it must be really hard to sleep in." Danse glared at her. "Ha ha. She's got jokes this morning. What's on the agenda for today?" She looked at him and raised the cup to her lips, and took a healthy sip of the coffee. "Oh. Not much. Going to see if I can find a Death Claw and fight to the death. I might win, they might win? Who knows at this point in the game. After that, if I'm still breathing, I am going to find Vault-Tec HQ and burn that place to the ground." Danse looked at her, his eyes wide. "Are you trying to kill yourself? Death Claws are not a joke." She smiled. "Wow, you really did miss the memo on how I am first thing in the morning. My default setting is sarcasm." She smiled as Roger spoke up from the floor. "I take the blame for that one. I think she picked up some bad habits from me." Cordova shook her head as Roger stood up, his body popping. "I'm old kid. I smell coffee." She pointed to the pot, as Danse pour out two mugs, handing one to Roger and grabbing the second one. "Things would have been so different in the bombs never fell." Roger looked at her. "In what way?" She sighed. "I would still be getting ready for court, I would be watching Shaun's great grandchildren get ready for school, and wishing I knew what I was doing." Roger looked at Danse and they both looked at her. "You just might get that chance." She shook her head and took out the holotape. "No one was meant to survive Roger. Someone, or something bypassed the fail safes to the Vault. I still have no idea what it means, but I am going to take my time on this and figure out what it means." Roger patted her hand and she sighed. "Hey, there is a radio call for a Paladin. I 'm not sure who it is meant for." Danse stood up. "I'm the Paladin. What's going on?" Preston looked at him. "Nate is on the radio wanting to talk to you. He didn't say why though." Danse nodded and followed him out, Cordova taking her time with the coffee. "All it took was a press of a button." Roger nodded and they talked about different things as Danse took the call. Returning a short time later, she read Danse like a book and knew something was wrong. "We need to return to the Prydwen. Nate has found somethings he needs you to see." She nodded and stood up. "ETA?" Danse smiled. "He's already back. Said he has something to show you." She nodded and the three of them made their way to the Vertibird. She had a feeling Nate found something and it sent a shiver of ice down her spine.

When they got back, she heard voices raised in anger. "I don't care what you say. She needs to know. She needs to prepare for it." She walked into the conference room and stood in the doorway, just listening. "You would do whatever you could to look like the hero Nate. What do you think is going to happen when she finds out that you were hiding things from her." She shook her head. "I would want to see if he was telling the truth. You two are fighting over me and what I need to know. Did any of you think that maybe I already knew?" All three men turned and looked at her, Roger standing behind her. "You three seems to think that hiding shit from me protects me. It doesn't. It makes things a lot harder for me. And none of you can fathom how what you do, what you decide about my life effect me. So stop the games, stop the bullshit, and just tell me what in the hell is going on." Nate walked over to her and sighed. "I found somethings that I think you need to see." He held out several files and she looked at them. "Is this?" He nodded. "Yeah. I figured you wanted to know what I found." She took the files and looked at him. "How did you find these? How did you have time?" A voice spoke up behind her. "I found them. I wanted to do something to pay you back for what you did for Duncan." Cordova turned and looked at Mac. "You don't owe me anything. I did it because I wanted to. A kid needs their dad, and I know that Nate is still looking for his." Mac nodded and glanced at Nate. "Yeah, we talked. He told me that he had a mission to the Glowing Sea. I don't think he should go alone, so I have planned to go with him." She looked at Mac. "Wait. What about Duncan? What are your plans for him?" Mac grinned. "I have him with a friend and he is eating everything not nailed down. What was in that cure you made?" She smiled. "Classified and way above your pay grade. But I am glad he's better." Mac nodded and looked at Arthur. "We are not done. Not by a long shot. Take care of her, because if I found out you haven't, the fight incoming will make Little Lamplight look like a chess game." Mac walked out, leaving her confused. "Want to explain that comment Elder?" Her eyes focused on Arthur and he shrugged. "We've met. I still don't understand how you could get caught up in helping him. He's trouble Cordova, and not someone you need to associate with." She cocked her head to the side and stared at him. "The choice in people I talk to are not open for debate. I can have friends and not just the people on this ship. Strike One." Roger and Nate both looked at her and knew it was bad. "I think we all need to calm down and relax before something is said that can't be taken back." Cordova shrugged. "Fine by me. I have things to do anyway." She walked out of the room, leaving the four men aware that she was pissed.

Mac walked outside and noticed Deacon sitting in the Pilot's seat. "You just keep pushing don't you?" Deacon looked up and smiled at Mac. "I've never been caught so there is that." Mac sighed. "What are you doing here? I thought Dez wanted you at HQ?" Deacon smiled. "I'm here on personal. So what did you find out?" Mac sighed. "You were right. The Sleepless did walk out of the Vault, and ended up here." Deacon watched the Scribes, and knew if they overheard the conversation, they were screwed. "So what is he like?" Mac snorted. "Not a man genius. A female, and we both know that a man and woman walked out of Vault one eleven." Deacon nodded. "Let me guess? We've met her?" Mac nodded. "And she gave me the cure for Duncan. Look Dez may want her, but dude. Let the girl live. It's hard enough having the Elder sniffing her ankles, I don't think she needs the Rail Road adding to it." Deacon sighed. "Fine, but Dez isn't going to wait for much longer. She will want to talk to her at some point." Mac nodded. "Let her know that I am going to be here for a couple of days. I want to make sure the intel is correct before anything happens." Deacon nodded as Nate and Danse walked out, both men talking. Nate spotted Mac and walked over to him. "Well, I am ready to get this over with. Next stop, the Glowing Sea." Mac looked at Nate like he was crazy. "Got what you need? There are nasty things there." Nate nodded. "I am. Now stop worrying. You sound like Cordova." Mac grinned. "Well, she's not wrong." Nate laughed, and got on the plane, Danse following behind. "Hey Mac?" Mac looked at him. "What's up?" Nate sighed, the helmet in his lap. "She needs more friends, not a guy who thinks he can get in her pants." Mac looked at him. "I don't plan on it. She did a lot for me and that? That matters." Nate nodded as the Vertibird started, Mac stepping away. Hearing the locks open, Mac watched them leave, Cordova on his mind.

Cordova sat down and looked at the files. On a sigh, she got up and walked to her bathroom and took a shower, hoping the hot water would break up the tension. Getting out half an hour later, she got into her workout gear and walked into her bedroom to see Deacon and Mac sitting on the couch. She walked over to her Pip-Boy and found the music she wanted and let the violin play as she pulled the rest of the tension out of her body. Mac watched her, mesmerized by the fluid way she moved. "You think too loud." Mac and Deacon looked at each other and Mac looked at her. "I think someone needs to sleep." Her eyes popped open and looked at him, her mind blank. "You know nothing about me, so please don't think you do." Mac looked at her and held his hands up. "Easy there killer. I know that you went out of your way to help me. That says more about you that I need to know." She glared at him. "You bar is pretty low if that's the only thing you know about me. But I can read people from a mile away, so who is willing to admit that they are not who they say they are?" Mac and Deacon looked at each other and then at her. "What do you mean?" She sighed. "I know that you were the Mayor of a place called Little Lamplight. You and the Elder have an issue with each other. Would have been nice to know that." Mac went red. "How did you find out?" She walked over to her desk and sat on the edge of it. "The Elder was telling me. He doesn't hold you in high esteem. But then again the Elder thinks he runs the world." Mac chuckled as Deacon snorted. "Hate would be a better word." She opened the top left drawer and rooted around for something. "Son of a Bitch." Mac and Deacon jumped up from the couch. "What's wrong?" She slammed the drawer closed and looked at Mac. "That fucker took my favorite pen. When I find whoever took it, I'm gonna hurt them." Mac and Deacon looked at her like she was crazy. "An ink pen. You are freaking out over an ink pen? Thought you hurt yourself." She glared at Deacon. "That pen is different. It's was made to look like a Quill. I even have the ink pot. I love that pen." Deacon shook his head. "You are weird." She shook her head. "You have no idea." The knock on the door made her look up to see Proctor Teagan walk in. "Good Evening First Lady. How are things?" She sighed and looked at him. "Have you seen a pen that looks like a Quill? I have had that for ever and someone took it." Teagan chuckled. "Actually I have. Nate asked me if I could fix it." She had a bad feeling. "I hope you didn't break it. Roger gave that to me before I went off the Medical School." Teagan held out a box. "The tip was bent from overuse. I found a replacement tip a while ago and had no idea what it was for until Nate brought the pen to me. I have to admit that it's pretty." She opened the box and noticed the new tip. "Yeah, stones like that you can't find anymore." Teagan, Deacon, and Mac looked at her confused. "What do you mean?" She held it sideways. The C in my name was done in Sapphires, and he never told me the price." She walked the pen over to her desk and opened the drawer again, gently placing the box inside it and closing the drawer. "Well, I will get out of your way. If you need anything, come and see me." She looked at him. "How much did Nate pay you?" Teagan shook his head. "Nothing. But it's not a problem. I wanted to do something nice." She sighed and held out some caps. "For your time." He shook his head. "For this? No charge. Called it a perk of leadership." She huffed and looked at him. "I will find a way to pay you back. Oh before I forget, can you find me a fifty-five gallon barrel of honey, a ton of feathers, plastic wrap, zip ties, and duct tape? I need it for a project." Teagan looked at her. "Not right off hand, but I can see if my guys find anything like that." She nodded. "Thanks. Let me know the cost and I will eat it." Teagan chuckled. "I doubt the feathers are tasty." She chuckled. "Not really. Just want to give a history lesson to the Squires. Think they might like it." Teagan left and she noticed that Mac and Deacon were watching her.

Nate and Danse were making their way slowly through the Glowing Sea, Nate on alert, Danse scanning the area. "What makes you so sure he is here? What if he's not?" Nate looked at Danse. "I'm not, but if he is, I want to know what he knows. There is no way that the Institute would let him live. They seem like the type to put a blade in your back." Danse nodded. "I just want to know what happened to my son. Shaun is the most important thing right now and if he knows anything, he needs to tell me." Danse knew that Nate was tense and there was a reason. "So from what Cordova told me, you were in the Army?" Nate sighed. "I was. But I was happier to be out." Danse looked around and noticed the houses. "Well, that is new?" Nate looked to where Danses' gaze was. "Let's see if they know where to look." Walking down, Nate had no idea why there were people in the area. The blast zone was huge. "This place took a direct hit from the nuke." Danse nodded as Nate kept moving. "Have you come to seek division in Atom's light?" Nate looked at the woman. "What?" She repeated what she said and Nate shook his head. "I am actually looking for someone. Brian Virgil. I heard he was around here." The woman looked at Nate. "He is an affront to Atom, but he comes and trades with us. What do you want with him?" Nate held up his hand. "Nothing bad. I just need to talk to him." The woman nodded and pointed to a path. "Follow that path and you will find him in a cave." Nate walked the path as Danse scanned for threats. "Those people are creepy." Danse chuckled. "That was the Children of Atom. They worship the Atom that wiped humanity out." Nate shook his head. "I've seen worse." Coming to the opening of the cave, Nate looked at Danse. "Well, let's see what we can find." Both men walked in, and had no idea what was going to happen.

Getting out of the Armor, Nate walked in the room. "Hold it." Nate stopped and put his hands up. "Where is Kellogg? Did he send you?" Nate shook his head. "Kinda hard to send someone who is dead." Virgil looked at him confused. "You lie. I know he's coming for me. They sent him." Nate looked at him confused. "I killed Kellogg myself. That's how I found out about you." Virgil's eyes went wide. "That's surprising." Nate shook his head. "Not really. Just had to know where to look." Virgil knew there was something else going on. "Why are you here?" Nate looked at him. "I know you worked for the Institute. I want you to get me in." Virgil started laughing. "Why should I even think about doing that?" Nate looked at him, his temper rising. "Because they took my son, killed my wife, and left me and my friend to die." Virgil stopped laughing and looked at Nate. "Sorry. I didn't know. They did that a lot. Took people and used them." Nate nodded. "Yeah, but now? My friend is target for those people and I want to know what happened to my son. You know a way in and I want it." Virgil shook his head. "Not sure what I can do, I was in Bioscience. But if I can remember anything, I will let you know." Nate nodded. "Ok." Virgil looked at Nate. "First thing you need to do is track down a Courser, and get the code." Nate sighed. "And what will that do?" Virgil looked at him. "Two things. Give me time to draw what I remember, and two, you will need that code to teleport in. The Classical music station? It serves as a frequency that the Coursers use to get in and out of the Institute." Nate and Danse both looked at Virgil. "Son of a Bitch!" Virgil sighed. "There is something else I need." Nate looked at him. "And that is?" Virgil sighed. "I wasn't always like this. I was human. I injected myself with the FEV to see if the cure worked. In my lab, the cure is there. I need you to get it for me." Nate smiled. "Done. Anything else?" Virgil looked at him stunned. "You'd help me?" Nate nodded. "I will bring it back the second I get it. Although, I have a feeling my friend would like to look at your data. She's a science geek." Virgil laughed. "If you think she will help. What makes her so special?" Nate waved the question away without answering it. "So find a Courser, get the chip, decode the chip, and what? Come back here?" Virgil nodded. "I will have the plans ready for when you come back. Take your time. I'm in no hurry." Nate nodded and got back into his Armor. "I will be back in a week." Virgil looked at him. "Good luck. I have a feeling we will both need it. Oh and we never talked." Nate waved, and Danse followed him out. "Well, that is one step closer." Nate nodded. "Why does it feel like I sold my soul to the Devil?" Danse looked at him. "You are getting your son back. That's all that matters." Nate clapped Danse on his shoulder. "Your right, but I need to talk to her. See where her head is at as well. What happened? Didn't just happen to me, but her as well. She needs to know." Danse nodded as the two men followed the trail they walked to find Virgil. When they seen the Vertibird, both men ran toward it and jumped on, wanting to get away from the horror they witnessed. Flying back, Nate had a lot on his mind and had no idea where to start looking for the Courser.


	8. When it rains, it pours.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Cordova pops up on Nate and Danse's mission to Green-Tec, where she finds everything to her past as a Sleepless, and it rocks her to the core when she finds the serum to make her sleep. Freaking out in front of Jay, Nate, Danse, and Arthur, Roger offers her a solution to her issue, and she butts head with Jay over it. Telling them all his bit of news, he has no idea what is going to happen. Nate goes off to get the Courser Chip decoded and takes Cordova with him. Finding the Rail Road; Cordova finds that she was a target, keeping what she is a secret from them, Deacon keeping her secret as well.
> 
> Song for Chapter 8: Believe by The Bravery

Nate had no idea where he was going, but as the signal got stronger, he knew with every step he took, it would lead him to his son and the truth. "You ok Nate?" He looked over at the Paladin and nodded. "As right as rain. You ready for this?" He nodded, the sound of a Vertibird landing behind them, and as soon as it dropped off whoever it was, the pilot was gone. "Are you sure about this Nate?" Both men turned and looked at Cordova, unaware of how she found them. "Before you ask, the Pip-Boy led me right to you. How close are you?" Nate sighed. "Pretty sure it's in the building in front of us." She looked at the building and gasped. "I thought it would be rubble?" Nate and Danse both looked at her. "You know this place?" Danse asked her, and got a silent nod. "I can tell you the layout of this place with my eyes closed. This is where I and the other nineteen Sleepless were created. I was also sent back here for testing." She looked at the CIT building and shuddered. "A lot of the lab people came from CIT and I was unsure of what to do." Nate nodded. "You want to join us? We could always use a sniper." She laughed and shook her head. "I see. You want me for my skills. I guess." Nate laughed and pulled her close. "We won't let anything happen to you. I promise." She sighed and looked at the Pip-Boy on Nate's wrist. "I will be bait and you two get what you need." Nate nodded as they climbed the stairs, Danse getting the door open. Slipping inside, Cordova felt like she was being watched and couldn't shake the feeling.

Nate looked at Cordova and before he could say anything, they were being fired at. Shooting back, they watched Gunners fall, and Cordova was nonplused with what was going on. "I think I should have brought more toys with me." She sighed. "But coulda, shoulda, woulda isn't gonna help." She laughed, walking over to a few dead Gunners and started looting what was left. "Well? You boys gonna help me or stand there like statues? We have a Courser to find." Nate and Eric jumped at her words, weapons, ammo, and other things being tossed at them. When she looked down at the bodies, she had an idea. "We should blend." They both looked at her. "What?" She sighed. "If we want to take this fools out, we need to blend in with them. I shot them through the head, hoping the plan I just thought of came to pass." Nate looked at Danse and knew it was a good idea. "I think your crazy, but I'm game in Eric is." Cordova skewered the Paladin with a look and he sighed. "When in Rome." She got three of the bodies undressed and tossed clothes at them. "You have thirty seconds to get changed. If you are not ready, I leave without you. Got it?" She walked away and changed behind a Nuka-Cola machine, coming out from behind it, a smile on her face. Nate chuckled as she looked at them. "Dear Gods. Don't tell me you two are scared to change your clothes. Nate I've seen in less and your abs are killer Danse. Strip." Nate and Danse looked at each other and then at her. "Dova. Not in front of the Paladin." She giggled. "Besides, when did you see the Paladin's abs?" She shrugged. "Classified and way above your pay grade. But the Paladin did look cute in a suit of feathers." Nate face palmed and shook his head. "Not going to ask." She laughed as Danse got out of the Armor and looked at her. "Or we could do things this way. Since Danse feels naked with his Armor, he can stay in it, and be the walking target." Danse nodded, and Nate looked at her. "Ok, but wouldn't it be better if we both protected you? Or each other?" She sighed. "Fine. Keep your Armor. Big babies." Both men chuckled as Cordova froze. "We have four coming down each side of the stairs. Lock and load 'em boys. Dead men tell no tales." Deacon watched Cordova from the shadows and wanted to see what she could do. When the four Gunners stepped out of the shadows, she was calm and took all four of them out, Nate keeping her covered. "How in the hell do you do that? It's like you have a death wish." She sighed. "One of the major benefits of not being in a tin can is the fact that I can feel vibrations in the floor that tell me, how many, what angle they are coming from, and what they are carrying. The heavier the weapon, the heavier the foot step. Nate should have told you that." Danse looked at her and sighed. "I have a lot to learn if I am going to keep up with you." She chuckled and walked away, gunshots ringing out and screams of death all around them. "She is something else." Nate nodded. "But highly effective. Should we give her a hand?" Danse nodded, both men following after her.

Cordova knew they were on their way, not only were their foot steps loud, but they were talking and if she was going to kill them, she had the perfect vantage point to do it. "Where did she go?" She sighed and stepped up behind them. "Silence is golden. Shut the fuck up and watch." She hissed under her breath. "You two gon' learn today." Nate chuckled as she glared at him. "Being frozen must have scrambled your brain. Shut up and think. Look at what is around you and account for that." Danse nodded, the feeling of a training mission in the forefront of his mind. She walked away on silent feet, Danse watching at where her feet were placed. Trying to copy her moves, she glared at him. "They hear you coming big guy. You are a literal bull in a china shop. You distract and I will do the rest." She shoved him and Gunners flooded the hallway, Cordova and Nate taking shots that they could. Cordova watched a few duck behind the walls and she smiled. "I can wait you boys out. You have to fall asleep sometime. I don't. I have all the time in the world." She pulled the pin on a grenade and tossed it to where they were bunkered down. "Fire in the hole!" The room exploded with sound, and plaster. As it rained down on her, Gunners fired and she hopped behind Danse and the three of them opened fire, Cordova shaking her vision clear of the dust. "That was fun. Let's find some more trouble and cause it." As they walked down the hallway, Cordova noticed a door and she stopped. As the memory hit her, she started to shake. "You ok?" She jumped, and looked at Danse. "No. I. I was here. In this room. I. I need to get in and see what is there." Danse and Nate both looked at her. "You take care of this Dova, we will handle everything else. We will buy you some time. Get in, find what you need to know and when we are done, we will come back for you." She nodded and looked at the door, noticing a blended panel. Holding her hand up to it, the door beeped and it slid open. "Go and get back. I have a bad feeling about this place." Danse and Nate took off, leaving Cordova alone in the room.

She walked over to the desk, her mind going back to when she was a child. Voices swirled around in memories she didn't want to think about, files, papers, and tapes all over the room. Sitting in the chair, she placed her head in her hands and sighed. As the gun fire got closer, she tuned it out, looking up to the empty room. "You tried to turn me into a lab rat, but it didn't work. You forgot the one things all scientists learn early. Never forget that the subject has free will and a soul. You forgot those two things. I survived you and I still do every day that passes. You can't break what is unbreakable. No matter how hard you try." Standing up, she swept the desk clear of junk, the metal box clattering to the floor. She cocked her head and looked at it. Bending down, she picked it up and read the labels. "Interlunkin-1. Why does that sound familiar?" She racked her brain and felt the stirring of a memory. Strapped down to the bed and the IV plugged into her arm, the warmth of the liquid rushing in her veins. The box clattered on the wood and she took a step back. "You can't hurt me anymore. I refuse to give you free rent in my head." She swept the room and noticed all the files, wondering if she was in any of the thousands of files. Glancing at the box like it was a viper, she pulled every piece of paper, tape out of the drawers and found a foot locker and placed everything she found in it. Placing the metal box in it last, she found a lock and programed the code for it, slapping it on and closing it. The click loud in the air. She pulled her gun out and made sure it was loaded, she walked out into the fray and took out as many Gunners as she could, unaware that Deacon was there watching her.

As Nate and Danse made their way up, a voice was calling out on the PA system. Alerting everyone where the Courser was, Nate looked at Danse. "Think she's ok?" Danse nodded and took the next set of stairs two at a time. "She would have called you on the Pip-Boy of she wasn't. Trust her to do the right thing." Nate nodded and shot the Gunner running at them. "She's just a kid and one that needs to be protected." Danse looked at Nate and shook his head. "You may think that, but from where I am standing, she seems to be handling all of this like an adult." Nate sighed. "She may look it, but cut her age in half. She runs head long into things and doesn't worry about what can happen." Danse nodded. "Sounds a lot like you to be honest." Nate looked at him and the scream of pain cut off what he was going to say. Kicking in the door, Nate swept the room and noticed Gunners against the wall, begging to be let go. "You can have the girl. Just let us go." The voice that replied, chilled Nate to the core of his soul. "I cannot allow that. I will take the girl anyway, and you will not be walking out of here. You pissed off the wrong people." Nate waited as the Courser glanced at him. "You here for the girl?" Nate shook his head. "No, but I am here for the chip in your head and I'm not leaving until I get it." The Courser laughed and hit the Stealth-Boy at his waist. When Nate blinked, red spread across the Courser's chest and it slid to it's knees, landing with a thump. Nate looked around the room wondering who did it, Cordova walking into the room. "Well, that's done." She walked over to it and looked down at it. "You should know that a Stealth-Boy gives away a high pitch and it allowed me to track you. Not much gets by me." She bent down as the Gunners tensed. "You pull your weapons, my guys will rip you apart." The Gunners looked at her as the small window screeched open, a young voice calling out. "Can you get me out of this room? I want out." Nate looked around and found the terminal, trying to get the door open. "There is a password on it Nate. Find the tape with the password." He looked at Cordova, and noticed her voice was flat. Scouring the room, he found the tape in a trunk, and walked it over to the terminal, the door opening, and the girl launching herself at Nate. "Thank you! You saved me from those men." Danse looked at the girl and said nothing, Cordova still working on the Courser. "You are welcome. How did you end up locked in the room?" The girl sighed. "Those men caught me and threw me in here. The Courser was after me." Nate looked at her. "Why? What is so important about you?" Cordova found the chip and pulled it out gently, holding it up. "Found it." She tossed it to Nate and he looked at the chip, putting it in a pocket. "I'm a Synth and they wanted to bring me back to be reprogrammed. I couldn't let that happen." Cordova flinched and didn't say a word. "Please let me go. I want to be free." Nate looked at her and then at Cordova, the unspoken words heavy in the air. Nate didn't say a word as the girl bolted. "My name is Jenny!" And she was gone. Wiping her hands free Cordova looked at Danse and he noticed the teal that would sparkle was dulled. "Cordova? What's wrong?" She shook her head. "Not here. I need you to carry something for me." Danse nodded as she exhaled. "Let's get out of here. The ghosts are screaming at me." She walked out, Nate and Danse following behind her. "Should we let them live?" She nodded. "The quicker the Institute finds out we are coming, the better." She walked down the stairs, Nate and Danse looking at each other, wondering what happened to Cordova.

She stood at the door, waiting for the guys to catch up. "Did you find what you needed? She nodded and held her hand up to the panel. "More than I wanted too. Grab the box and let's get out of here. I feel like I'm being watched and it's not a good feeling." Deacon shook his head, and she scanned the room, leaving the door wide open. Danse grabbed the box and looked at her. "What is in here? Lead?" She shook her head. "Everything I could find. Trust me, I wasn't leaving anything behind for anyone else to find." She grabbed a bag and slid it across her chest, her gait changing. "I have things in this bag as well, so don't think you are carrying everything alone." She walked out of the room, leaving Nate and Eric to carry the foot locker between them. She held the door open and waited for the two to join her. When they were clear of the building, she shot off a flare and sighed. "Want to talk about it?" She shook her head. "Not yet. I need to know what is in the files." Danse looked at the horizon and noticed the Vertibird get closer. When it landed, Danse and Nate walked the foot locker over to the open door, Nate going back for the bag, and grabbed it from her. "You ready to go?" She nodded, and followed him onto the Vertibird, her mind blank and her heart empty. Nate watched the buildings fade away, his gaze on Cordova.

Jay was looking at Kells and pinched the bridge of his nose. "What do you mean they are coming?" Kells sighed. "Your parents are coming here and they want to meet with you and Elder Maxson." Jay knew something was going on. "Did they say why?" Kells held out the message. "No, they wanted to see you face to face. What would you have me tell them?" Jay sighed. "Nothing. They will come no matter the message. When are they do to arrive?" Kells shrugged. "Three days? They didn't say." Jay walked away hoping to get drunk enough not to think about what his parents wanted. "Have you seen Cordova? I needed to talk to her about something?" Kells looked at him. "She went to meet up with the Paladin and Knight. They are on their way back from the area." Jay walked away, wondering what they had gotten up to. When they landed, Cordova got out and looked out at the water. "Where should we take this?" She looked at Eric. "My Quarters please. The door should be open." She grabbed the bag as Nate grabbed the other end of the locker, Cordova walking up the stairs and holding the door open for Nate and Danse to go in before her. When the door slammed, she ignored the looks and walked to her door and opened it, Danse and Nate walking in before her. They set the locker on the floor as Arthur walked out of her bathroom. "I hope things went well." Nate pulled the Courser Chip out and held it up to the light. "Now to decode it." She walked in as Arthur took her body line in. "I hope that Cordova found what she went there to find." Her head came up and Arthur looked at her. "Cordova? You look like you seen a ghost. Are you ok?" She shook her head, going over to her closet. Grabbing a change of clothes, she walked to her bathroom and locked the door behind her, Jay and Roger walking in. "She found the link to her past." All four sets of eyes went to the bathroom door, the shower turning on. "It has her shaken, off center. So please don't do anything or ask anything to set her off. She is raw right now." Jay looked at the locker. "What did she find?" Nate shrugged. "No clue, it was locked when she told us about it." The shower cut off, and a few minutes later, Cordova walked out, her wet hair wrapped in a towel. Roger noticed that she didn't look like she was feeling well and walked over to her. "Vis, dic mihi? (Want to tell me?)" She looked at him. "Inveni eam. Quid faciam? (I found it. What do I do?)" Roger looked at her as the blood drained from his face. Arthur and Nate both asked at the same time. "What did you find?" She looked up and sighed. "Nothing. Don't worry about it." Nate looked at her. "What are you hiding? What did you find?" She glared at him. "Do NOT take that tone with me Nate. I am not the one. What I found is not your concern so leave it alone." Nate took a step back in shock. "What. Did. You. Find?" She looked at him. "Interlunkin-1." Roger stood there in shock as Nate looked at her. "What does that do?" She looked at Arthur as Roger answered. "It makes her sleep." All three men rushed at Cordova and had no idea what to say. "Just don't. Don't touch me." They nodded as she wrapped her arms around her waist, staring at the wall. "What are you going to do?" She sighed. "Destroy it."

Jay and Arthur looked at her confused. "Why?" She sighed. "It's a long story and I am not talking about this. With any of you." Arthur looked at her and then to Roger. "What does it also do?" Roger sighed. "No one knew. They gave her a dose and for two days she was sicker than I had ever seen her. No one knew if it was the dose they gave her, or it is was her age." Arthur noticed that she was starting to shiver and took his battle coat off, and placed it on her shoulders. She inhaled; the scent of leather, and whiskey calming her nerves. "So does this mean we need to watch her if she uses it?" She looked at Roger. "No, I want it destroyed. That almost killed me the last time and I am fond of breathing in the regular." Roger chuckled as she glared at Arthur. "This isn't open for debate Arthur. This is my decision, my choice. So do what I say and don't ask again." Everyone stared at her. "I knew you'd say my name. I just needed to give you time." She huffed and looked at him. "Slip of the tongue. One and only time it will happen." He snorted. "I doubt that." Jay looked at her. "I have a question." She looked at him. "What?" Jay walked over to the locker. "What if one of us held onto it? And if the need arose, it was there for you to use. I mean it would have came in handy when Mitchel was trying to hurt you." She sighed. "I am not running that risk. I had to be strapped down the first time, and I am not letting you watch me sleep. That is it's own perversion." Jay looked at her confused. "Sleeping isn't perverted Cordova." She shook her head as Arthur looked at her. "Maybe not to you because you sleep, but to me? It proves that you are defenseless, unaware of what is going on around you." Jay looked at her. "Don't. Don't try to 'logic' me Jay. It won't work." Nate and Roger both snorted as Jay looked at them. "What does that mean?" Roger chuckled. "Non experiri ad uti logica in iurisconsultum, perdes proelium ante etiam amittere bellum. (Never try to use logic on a lawyer, you will lose the battle before you even lose the war.)" Jay looked at him and threw his hands in the air. "I'm not trying to logic anyone. Cordova needs to understand that we are all here for her." She sighed. "I get that. But I want you to think about something." Jay glanced at her. "Think about what it would be like to watch someone sleep, knowing that you can't, and you never will. Do you wonder what they are dreaming about? Get mad because you are not a part of it? Or do you wait until they wake up, and badger them with questions, knowing that there is a possibility of them lying about the dream to make you happy? Because that is what happened to me. When I woke up, they were clapping each other on the back about what happened, and asking me what happened. I threw up and had a head ache for two days. If that is what dreaming is like, I don't want to ever do it again. I refuse to feel helpless again." Roger walked over and scooped her up and carried her to the couch and sat down with her in his lap. "Baba? What are you doing?" He looked at her, the smile a mile wide on his face. "You haven't called me that since you were four." She sighed and laid her head on his shoulder. "Never needed to before now. I'm scared." Roger rubbed her back. "I know, but I think you should keep it." She looked at him confused. "Before you say no, think about this. If you wanted to try again, you have it on hand, five people that know and care about you, and would never let anything happen. We are all here for you Cordova, and if you should ever want to try again, it's here." She sighed and knew that saying 'no' was not an option. "I will think about it. That is all I will do." She sighed and closed her eyes, for the first time since he came out of stasis, Cordova felt safe.

Jay watched her and sighed. "I need to talk to all of you about something and I am not sure how to begin." Cordova looked at Jay and he blushed. "If it's how you say my name in your sleep? Save it. No one wants to ever hear or know that." Jay laughed as Arthur glared at him. "You wish. But no. My parents are on their way here. They want to talk to me about something, and I have a feeling that it's not good. Kells informed me of their arrival here and I wanted to give you all the heads up. I have a feeling on what it is, but I have been wrong when it comes to my parents before." Cordova nodded as Roger set her on the couch. "Anything I can do to help?" Jay shook his head. "No, I have a feeling if anyone did anything, it would make things worse. But when they get here, I will try to keep them out of the way, and keep the disruption to a tolerable level." He walked out, leaving Cordova confused at his actions. Nate, Danse and Roger soon left, telling her to find them if she wanted to talk, leaving her and Arthur alone. Slipping off the coat, she held it out. Looking at her, he noticed how young she looked. "Don't." He took a step back. "Don't what?" She sighed. "Don't treat me like I'm broken. I'm not, just a little cracked. But give it time and the cracks won't show." He slipped the coat on and looked at her. "I'm not thinking that. But how are you feeling? This has to have you scrambling for answers." She nodded. "All the answers lead to more questions and I am not sure if I want to ask, or go off in search of what I will never have answered." Arthur walked over to the bed and looked at it. "Would you ever?" She shook her head. "No. Once was enough and the nightmares were not worth it." Arthur's face came up and he looked at her. "In what way?" She sighed and walked over. "I never told him. What happened during." He sat on the bed and she stood in front of him. "You'll tell me?" She nodded. "I felt like I was in a room and the walls were so clear, you had no idea they were there. There was a small opening and there were snakes and all they did was bite, venom streaming down my arms and legs. I screamed for help, but all the people did was watch and scribble on sheets of paper. For the first time in my life I thought I was dying, and no one helped me. I came awake six hours later screaming, wiping the dream venom off my skin. I threw up so hard, I ruptured a blood vessel in my throat and that freaked them out. The others had been doing the tests for years so they knew what was going on. I was twelve and that was the first and last time they tried the Interlunkin-1 on me." Arthur wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her onto the bed, and covered her in a blanket. "Your shaking." She nodded. "The dream was and is still vivid in the back of my mind. And I can't tell him. It would kill him." Arthur nodded. "You almost said my name." She snorted. "Nope. Just had to think about what I was saying." He chuckled. "Know what?" She looked at the ceiling and then at him. "What?" He grinned as Jay walked back in. "This feels nice." She sighed and noticed Jay, her mask slipping back into place. "Don't get used to it. It won't happen again. Seriously, stop pushing lines because I can't allow them to blur. Not now, if ever." Jay walked over and slid into the bed beside her. "I think this is cozy. Maybe we could have a slumber party." She bolted into a sitting position and glared at Jay. "You are not at all funny and I am done with this conversation." She got out of the bed and left the room, leaving Jay and Arthur confused.

Standing outside her door, she heard the two of them talking and she wasn't in the mood to follow along. Unaware that the Knights were watching her, she slid down the wall and let her mind go back to when she was a child in the lab. As memories rushed at her, faces blurred and vanished, but names were still called, results given, and she felt her blood freeze. "All I am saying is to stop pushing Jay. She has a lot on her plate and adding this? Is going to set her off and we don't need that." Jay and Arthur stepped out of her room and noticed her sitting on the floor. "Cordova? You ok?" She looked up and nodded, her voice cracking. "I'm fine. Just want to go home." Both men looked at each other and then at her. "You are home." She sighed and it sounded young. "I mean to before the War. When everything wasn't so messed up and hard." Arthur sat down beside her. "What can we do to help you make things better? Just tell us and we can try to fix it." Cordova sighed, and looked around. "I don't think you can. Too much time has past for that." Arthur pulled her close and she let him. "You have the serum. Want to give it a try?" She shook her head. "Not even if I was dead." Jay sat down on the other side of her. "We could throw a party. Have games and prizes. How does that sound?" She looked at him, and smiled and before they knew it, the smile fell. "I doubt Nuka-World is still standing. It would have to be demolished by now." Jay looked at her. "Why don't we go and see? Take a platoon of Knights after the Institute is dealt with." She sighed. "Sure. Not sure if there is anything left." Jay squeezed her hand. "Well, let's plan that for a week after the Institute falls." She nodded as Kells walked up the stairs and over to them. "Jay? I have a message for you, from your parents." Jay held out his hand for the message. Kells handed it over and Jay scanned it, handing it to Arthur. "They will be here in a few hours. I am not sure what is going on." She looked at him. "Might be time to get you married Jay. You ever think that?" Jay shook his head. "Only way that will happen is if Harris gets married first." She looked at him confused. "Harris is my brother. Corey is my twin so there is that." She nodded. "Yes, we are identical." She gulped. "Well, there goes the neighborhood. At least you know a lawyer." Jay chuckled. "That was more Corey than me. My father Grant is Elder of the unit based in London." Cordova nodded, standing up. "Well, I think you guys should get ready for dinner and I will do the same." She walked into her room and closed the door, Kells watching them. "She ok?" Arthur nodded. "A lot on her mind. Just give her some space." Jay nodded. "Given my family, she's going to need the time to prepare. She has no idea how Corey is." Kells nodded and walked away, both men looking at her door and left her to get ready for dinner, hoping that she would appear in the dining hall.

Cordova walked into the gym, her mind on other things, and not paying attention to what was being said. The calls of her name made her look up and shake her head. "Not in the mood guys. I just need to clear my head." A few Knights looked at her and she rolled her eyes. "What? You got a staring problem? I think I can fix that." A Knight walked over to her and snorted. "I doubt you can pull your weight here, so why don't you leave and come back when us men are gone. Unless you want to play with us." She smiled and it turned feral, John running over to her. "Down girl. I finally got the rest of the blood out of the mats the last time you were here." She laughed. "Then you might want to put a muzzle on the Knight here. He's running his mouth and if he pushes me, he will see what happens, and not even the Elder will convict me." The Knight looked at her as Danse walked in. "What are you going to do? Break a nail?" Danse walked over and stood behind her. "First Lady on Deck!" Cordova jumped and spun around. "Must you do that? Gave me a heart attack Paladin." Danse looked at the Knight who was glaring daggers at Cordova. "All part of my job. What did you plan on doing today?" She tapped her finger on her lips and sighed. "Well, I was going to spar with John, but yoga sounds better. Need to get out of my head for a bit. Wanna join me?" Danse wrinkled his nose and chuckled. "I'm not a flexible as you are. So how about I go for a run, toss some heavy things around the room, try to impress you with my abs and we go from there." She laughed as the Knight stared at her. "Seen one set of abs Danse, you've seen them all." Danse offered her his arm and she took it, walking away to a treadmill, John looking at the Knight. "That is the First Lady of Steel. You touch her, and there are a lot of men who can and will make you vanish without a trace. Jason tried and it did not end well for him. If you ever feel the need to ask, talk to him and he will tell you what she did, how she did it, and why." The Knight nodded as John walked away, the Knight wondering how she was able to do it. He walked over to where she was stretching, Danse chatting with her. "Just how many Brotherhood of Steel units are there? The CODEX never said anything." The Knight spoke up. "We have four based in the US and one in Europe. Paladin Everhart's family is there and from what I have heard, they are on their way here tomorrow." She sighed. "I am well aware of the four we have here, but the Europe is a surprise. How did that happen?" The Knight sighed. "I think Elder Lyons got in touch with someone in London and arrangements were made. A Vertibird was outfitted so it could fly long distances without the fuel needed. No idea how that worked, but it did. Anything else you want to know?" She looked at him. "Yeah. Why are you here? Want me to kick you bloodless?" The Knight shook his head. "No, and I am not going to bother you after this, except to say if there is anything you need help understanding, find me and I can tell you what you need to know." The Knight left, leaving Cordova to shake her head. "That's rare. Most men still want to rip my head off after they hear who I am on this tin can." Danse laughed and started running. Cordova blanked her mind and got started doing her yoga work out.

Jay and Arthur walked into the Gym and noticed her, sitting on the floor in a Lotus pose and knew she was in the zone. A few of the Knights glanced her way, but for the most part, they left her alone. Hearing lowered tones made Arthur smile as Jay walked away to change into boxing gloves and gear. Arthur walked over to where Cordova was and just watched what she was doing, glancing at her face every few seconds. "I am not a fish in a bowl Maxson. Was there something you needed?" Arthur jumped as her eyes opened, the teal a lighter color. "How?" She sighed. "Two things. Your footsteps, and your cologne." He nodded as she stood up. "How can you sit in that position for that long is what I want to know." She smiled as Jay walked over. "I've been doing yoga for years before the bombs fell, took it up when I took up ball room dancing. Both help with movement, and I used to be a klutz." Jay looked at her and she sighed. "Well, I am done for the day, you two working out?" Jay nodded. "I need to burn off the stress of my parents coming, and this is the only way I could think of." She snorted. "There is the way of the wood chipper." Jay looked at her confused. "What is that? I keep hearing you tell Nate there is a wood chipper with his name on it." She laughed. "Therapy tool for stress. Imagine putting everything that has you stressed out in a box. You tape the box up so nothing can escape. Now, run that box trough a wood chipper and think about what kind of sound it would make." Jay laughed, causing her to smile. "See? It works every time. Have a good workout guys and see you all at dinner." She walked out of the gym, everyone watching her to see where she went next. "She will cut all of you off at the knees if she knew what you were doing." A Knight sighed. "I wonder what she does all night? I mean she doesn't sleep." Arthur sighed. "Same things she does when awake. She works." The Knights cleared out, leaving Arthur and Jay alone.

Nate was standing at his Armor station looking at it, a frown on his face. "Want to talk about what happened?" He turned and looked at Cordova. "Not really. Just thinking about things of the past." She nodded and grabbed a wrench. "I understand that. So what next Nate?" He sighed and pulled the chip out. "I need to get this decoded and have no idea where to go." Cordova nodded, and blanked out for a second. "What about that lady in Good Neighbor. She helped you with the next step. Maybe she could help you with this one." Nate looked at her. "That could work. If she can't then maybe she knows someone who does." Cordova smiled. "Just think, within the next few months, Shaun will be home and you can be a dad again." Nate nodded and pulled her into a hug. "You want to go with me?" She nodded. "Hell yes. Let's go." He looked at her. "You might want to change, unless you want the Mayor hitting on you." She sighed. "Good point. Give me half an hour and we can go." Nate kept working on his Power Armor when she came walking up. "Ready when you are." He turned and noticed she was her favourite jeans, t-shirt and heels, a trench coat on her arm. "I think it's supposed to rain and I have no idea where an umbrella is. You ready?" Nate nodded and took off the flight suit, dressed like she was. "We match. Like twins." She groaned and looked at his boots. "One of us has to distract the others, and we all know you suck at it." Nate chuckled as she led him out. "The pilot is going to drop up off as close as he can. I have flares for when it's time to go. Anything else we need?" He nodded. "Caps. I want to buy a weapon KLEO has and I hope she still has it." Cordova nodded and as they walked past her room, she grabbed a bag and tossed it to Nate. "Why can't you carry it?" She looked at him. "Really? Did you really forget that jeans for women didn't have pockets? Guess we never needed to carry cash on us." Nate chuckled. "That's why you had." She narrowed her eyes and he shut up. "Yeah, they should have gave you pockets." She laughed, walking out the door, Nate having no choice but to catch up. She hopped on the Vertibird and as soon as Nate was on, they took off.

Nate watched the ground come up and meet them as the Vertibird landed, Cordova out the other side. Exchanging words with the pilot, the man waited until they were at the gate and he took off, Cordova aware of how quick the Elder and Jay were going to get the message she sent. "Are you ready for this?" She nodded as he opened the gate, John rushing to meet them. "If is isn't Cordova. Long time no see. How ya been?" She shrugged. "Meh. Same ole, same ole. You know the drill." John nodded and looked at Nate. "You brought me a present. You really are the best Cordova. How did you know I was wanting one?" She laughed as Nate went beet red. "Lucky guess? I just figured you and Nate needed 'Boy's Time.' But actually, he's here for something different. Nate, you are to spend a few hours drinking yourself stupid, playing poker until you are broke, and just...breathing. Those are my orders. You got that?" Nate nodded and smiled at her. "Is that a FLoS? Or my best friend?" She sighed. "Both. You need to take a break and if John can get you to relax, then that's a good thing. Take in the good for as long as you can. We are getting ready to see the bad in a very short amount of time." Nate hugged her, letting her go a second later. "You relax too. Go have some wine or something." She sighed. "Hey, Mac is here and so is Duncan. Figured you two needed to talk about what happened." Cordova shook her head. "Don't tell him I'm here. I would like to keep myself out of the limelight for a little bit longer if possible." John laughed as a child's voice was screaming in laughter, the young boy hitting the back of Cordova's legs and taking her down to the pavement. "Duncan! What have I told you about not watching where you are going? You need to be more careful." Mac got over to them as Nate was helping Cordova up. "No harm done. Besides he's four and at that age they need to be able to play and explore." Mac noticed Nate first and then Cordova. "Holy S-Sweaters. When did you get here?" She snorted. "Ten minutes ago. How have you been?" Mac looked at her. "Busy. But you did warn me." She nodded. "My daddy told me a Princess with magic powers broke the curse of spots." Cordova looked down at Duncan and smiled. "Really? Was she pretty?" Duncan nodded. "Daddy says she makes the moon look like a star in the sky. I think my daddy likes her a lot." Cordova smiled, enraptured by the four year old. "Really? What else did your daddy say about her?" Duncan sighed. "I asked daddy what her eyes looked like and he said that they looked sad and lonely." Cordova glanced at Mac and he went red. "Maybe daddy can find her and be her friend." Cordova smiled and looked at the little boy. "Maybe. Fate brings people when you stop forcing your will on it. Who knows, maybe you are talking to her and don't know it." Duncan looked at Cordova and he shook his head. "If she's listening, I want to tell her 'thank you'. And I have a picture I want her to have if she ever finds me again." Cordova looked at Mac as Daisy walked over. "Duncan? It's time for dinner, so why don't we give the grown ups some space to talk." Duncan started whining and Cordova smiled. "Maybe Miss Daisy will let you have dessert after dinner, but you have to eat all your vegetables." Duncan stuck his tongue out. "Yuck. I don't like vegetables." Cordova smiled. "I am not a fan either, but if I want to be strong and smart, I eat them anyway." Daisy led Duncan away, the boy peppering her with questions and Cordova smiled. "He's right." She looked at Mac. "About?" He sighed. "Your eyes, they still look sad." She sighed and walked away, Mac looking at Nate. "She ok?" Nate nodded. "A lot on her plate. Give her some time. She had no idea that you were here and hoped that she didn't run into you. Not sure why." Mac looked at noticed her red hair as she walked around the corner. "So what brings you here Nate?" He sighed. "Information. I have a chip I need decoded and I thought the Doc here could do it." John nodded and glanced at Mac, not saying a word. "Well, I will let you guys talk. If you need me, I'm at the Rail. Daisy has Duncan for the night and I am hoping to find a job." Nate looked at him. "Good luck." Mac waved and walked away, leaving John and Nate alone. "Well, I have things to take care of, and I know you need to get your errand done. Come see me after and we can share a bottle." Nate nodded as John walked inside the State House, the door closing behind him. "Well, now or never I guess."

Walking to the Memory Den caused memories of the last visit to flash in his head. "I am getting closer Holly." He turned the door knob and walked in, going down the stairs to see the woman he needed to talk to, standing at her desk. She glanced up and her eyes went wide. "Your alive? Did you get to the Glowing Sea? Did you find Virgil?" Nate nodded. "I did, but I have a small problem. I need a code off a Courser Chip. I am hoping you can do it." She shook her head. "I can't, but I know someone that can." Nate looked at her. "Where?" She sighed. "Follow the Freedom Trail. They have the answers you need." Nate sighed. "Vague and cryptic. Well, it's better than nothing. Thanks." The woman nodded as Nate left. He walked out, his mind all over the place and he walked toward the Third Rail and hoped a drink would help him clear his mind. Walking in, he noticed the Bouncer, and made his way down the stairs, Cordova sitting at the bar, trying to ignore the men that were trying to hit on her. Watching her turn around, the man doubled over and was sputtering. On a chuckle, Nate walked over to her. "I can't leave you alone for a second can I?" She sighed. "No one leaves me alone. And that is the problem I have. Why can't stuffed shirts understand when a girl tells them to go away?" Nate looked at her and sighed. "Have you been drinking?" She shook her head. "Yup. You wanna join me?" Nate looked at her. "Nah, but I do what to find the Freedom Trail. No idea why, but I think what I am looking for is there." Her eyes lit up. "Ooooh. The Freedom Trail led slaves to the Rail Road, it was used to get slaves from the South to the North, where they would be free. The Civil War was over Slavery. The South wanted to keep them slaves and the North offered them freedom that they never had. But to get the slaves out of the south, it took a large network of people to carry it off and keep it hidden. They say there are markers here that are a trail of sorts. We should follow it and see where it leads." Nate looked at her. "How do you know all this? Hell I barely passed history when I was in High School." She snorted. "Yeah, well history doesn't really help you aim a gun and fire it." He looked at her and sighed. "And you are drunk." She looked at him. "No, I've been drinking water. I was chewing a piece of gum you putz." Nate laughed and pulled her off the barstool and she laughed. "Dude, I snap a heel, you are going to be carrying me everywhere. Do you really want to run that risk?" Nate let her go and she crowed. "Let's go." She nodded and the two of them left Good Neighbor and started walking the Freedom Trail. As she remembered where to go, Nate was taking out whatever came at them.

Nate looked at the door of the Church and then at Cordova. "Well, this is the end of the line. Now what?" She sighed. "We walk in. Duh! Suck it up Nate and open the fucking door. I hate being out in the open like this. Those Green things were freaky as fuck. What did Danse call them again?" Nate sighed. "Super Mutants." She snapped her fingers. "That's what he called them. They look like green peas with legs and arms. Gross." He chuckled. "What did peas ever do to you?" She shook her head. "They look like boogers. That's what they did to me." Nate laughed and opened the door, the Feral Ghouls running toward them. Cordova grabbed Nate's extra gun and shot them as they came toward them. "Hate those zombies too. The war fucked everything up." Nate snorted as Cordova looked at him. "What? Religion was probably the first thing to go." She walked in and noticed the light. "I think that's a sign if I ever did see one." Nate stepped in front of her and walked down the steps, his gun going off. "Waiting for you." She grumbled and walked down the stairs, aware that things could change in an instant. The farther they got down the hallway, the more she felt like she was being watched. "Well, this is a dead end." She looked as Nate stood in front of a wall. "Seems like." She leaned in and noticed the knob on the wall. "This shouldn't be here." She pressed on it and it made a grinding sound. Looking at Nate, she spun the letters and shook her head. "Now that? That is odd. Let's see what happens next." She entered letters and when she was done, she pressed the center button. Listening to the lock disengage she looked at him. "Password is Rail Road? That makes sense." Nate looked at her. "Meaning?" She smiled. "The Freedom Trail led to the Underground Rail Road. Do you really not listen to anything anyone says to you?" Nate shrugged as they walked in. Four steps in the dark, the room suddenly filled with light and it blinded the two of them. "You went to a lot of trouble to find us. Who are you?" Cordova turned to the sound of the voice. "Blinded by the light. What in the fuck? Do you do this to all the people that come to you for help?" The voice snorted. "Why are you here? Who sent you?" Nate sighed. "I was told to find you. Said you can help me." Deacon peeked around the corner and noticed Cordova standing there with Nate and knew shit was about to hit the fan. "Who told you to find us?" Nate sighed. "A friend. I have a Courser chip and when I asked if they could help me, they sent me on a wild goose chase and it landed me here." Dez looked at Nate. "Care to tell me who?" Cordova snorted. "Classified. You probably already know who so why don't you drop the bullshit and tell my friend if you can help him. You want to fuck him over? That's not going to end well for you. Can you help or not?" Deacon sighed as the lights went down to a low level. "You started the party without me. I had to find my invitation." Deacon looked at Nate. Dez looked at Deacon. "You know them?" Deacon nodded. "He's practically famous. He took out Kellogg, and let's not even talk about the Courser. We need him on our side. He's one of the good ones." Dez looked at Nate and then to Cordova. "We can't let her leave here. What if she talks?" Deacon and Nate both looked at Dez. "And that would start a war you really don't want to fight with me. I am the First Lady of Steel bitch and you fuck with me all I have to say is that 'May the odds ever be in your favor' because you wouldn't have to worry about anything other than how if the fuck did you live through the war you would bring to your front door. I am not the one you want to fuck with. But then again, I don't need the Brotherhood to fuck your plans up. All I need is a bobby pin and duct tape." Dez looked at Deacon and with a nod, Dez looked at her. "You are welcome as well, I think." Deacon looked at Dez. "She helped Sniper." Dez nodded and looked at Nate. "I need to ask you a question before I let you in." Nate looked at Cordova who was staring at Deacon. "Would you lay your life down for your brothers and sisters, human and not human?" Nate sighed. "Yes." Cordova looked at Nate and she looked at Dez. "You ask me that question, you really won't like my answer." Dez looked at Deacon, and walked away. "Well, you coming?" Nate looked at Cordova and she shook her head. "Your circus, your zoo. I'm just here for backup." Nate nodded and Cordova followed behind Deacon and Nate, not saying a word.

Dez was watching Cordova and wondered what her story was, not that Deacon would tell her much of anything. "I need you to understand that you are guests and we haven't had many here. This is the Rail Road HQ. Please tell no one about what you see here." Cordova shook her head. "You get my friend what he needs and I will forget you even exist. Good enough?" Dez looked at Cordova and then to Deacon. "What's her deal?" Cordova snorted. "I hate people who think they need their asses kissed for no fucking reason, and you strike me as one of those." Deacon swallowed a cough as Nate followed Dez in. "It's good to see you again Deacon. Wondering if I would run into you again." Deacon rubbed the back of his neck. "Did you see Duncan?" She nodded. "I had hoped not to, but that's not what you wanted to hear. He's a cutie though." Deacon nodded as a woman walked over to Deacon. "New girlfriend?" Cordova looked at the woman. "No, she's the one who helped Sniper with a problem he was having." The woman walked away as a man in a lab coat walked by them. "We have no idea where she went after the Vault. It's like she vanished and I hope the Institute didn't take her." Cordova looked at the man. "Who in the fuck are you blathering about?" Dez looked at her. "We know the Sleepless left the Vault and after that, we have no idea where she went." Cordova looked at Deacon and he sighed. "What do you want her for?" Dez looked at her. "We want to know how she does it. The whole not sleeping thing and if she can turn others the same way." Cordova looked around and caught Nate's eye and he shook his head. Looking at Deacon, she sighed. "Can I end the free trail of people please? Everyone had been hit by the 'I'm fucking stupid and I'm going to act smart.' Makes my head hurt. There is no fucking way there is a way to turn a Sleeper into a Sleepless. I have feeling that reading is not one of the core skills anyone of you fucking have. I am not going dealing with morons today. I have reached my quota for the century." Everyone looked at her, Nate a smile on his face. "You sound like you know what you are talking about." She face palmed. "No. I just know how to read these things called books. You really should pick one up and try it one day." She walked away, her feet taking her to Nate. "Est non iens ut exsisto gauisus de hoc. Et cum haec morons invenit veritatem, quae futura sunt, esse pissed. Ita ut suus ' tantum valet iter hic pro me. (He is not going to be happy about this. And when these morons found out the truth, they are going to be pissed. So that's the only thing worth the trip here for me.)" Nate nodded as Dez led a man over. "Tinker Tom, this man has a chip he needs you to decode." She looked at Nate. "But before you decode it, I want the chip when you are done with it. Do we have a deal?" Cordova looked at her. "That's fine. I have no need for it after I get the code." Dez nodded at Nate. "If you'd give him the chip, we can get started for you." Nate handed her the chip and led Cordova to a chair. "When I get the code, I need to go back to the Glowing Sea. There is something I need to get." Cordova nodded. Desdemona looked at Nate. "The Sleepless left with you right?" Nate nodded as Cordova rolled her eyes. "Do you know where she is? We need to ask her to join us. Her skills would be a big help." Nate sighed. "I doubt she would listen to me. But I can try." Desdemona looked at Nate as Tinker Tom yelled in excitement. "I'm in. Let me get the code and you can go on in peace." Nate nodded and walked over, Tom holding out a tape. "Thanks for this. You just helped me save my son." Cordova stood up and followed Nate out. Making their way up the stairs, she sighed. "They are an odd group." Nate nodded. "You gonna?" She shook her head. "Not for all the caps in the Common Wealth. I like where I am thank you. Now let's get back and you can go back to the Sea." Nate nodded and noticed Deacon watching them. She fired off a flare and within a few minutes the Vertibird landed and they took off.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I took a lot of liberty of the interaction between Dez and Nate. And how Cordova played into all of it. And the Freedom Trail saved a lot of slaves before and during the war. People risked their lives to make sure the Underground Rail Road was never found. This is why you should pick up a history book. LOL.
> 
> Love who you want without the limits placed by man. A willing heart is always open to what can be.


	9. Well, that happened and it's a mess.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jay's family arrives and it is High Elder Mitchel all over again in the form of Jay's brother Corey. Cordova has an idea.

Cordova watched the Prydwen get closer and looked at Nate. "We need to talk about what happened." She sighed. "No. No we don't. You expect me to stick up for you, but you never said a word in my defense Nate. Shows that I care more about what happens to you more than you do me. Talk about a power imbalance." Nate looked at her. "I get it. I messed up, but I didn't want to alert them to who you are. Sorry that I was worried about your safety." She scoffed. "I can handle my own fights." Nate nodded. "I am aware, but you against all of them? Someone would have been killed. I get it. You will always be a target. And I should have said something. Please understand that a fire fight wasn't something either of us needed. Shocked the hell out of me when Deacon showed up." She nodded. "And Mac is involved with them. He should have told me." Nate looked at her. "Would it have effected anything?" She shook her head. "No, because I heal. That's part of what I signed up for." Nate snorted as they walked by Arthur. "What?" Nate shook his head. "You are way to pure for this world. You try to save everyone Cordova and you don't see that you need saving too." She shook her head as Arthur cleared his throat. "Elder. Need something?" He nodded. "Yes. I need a minute of your time Nate. If you wouldn't mind." Nate nodded as Arthur led him to his office, leaving Cordova to stand there wondering what just happened. On a shrug, she walked into her Quarters and over to the foot locker. "Well, may as well see what I found." She opened the trunk and pulled out the first file she touched, ignoring the world around her, she read it.

Nate looked at Arthur. "I got what I needed, but I need you to know there is a group that wants to help them." Arthur looked at Nate confused. "Who?" Nate sat down. "The Rail Road helps those things escape, and pass as human." Arthur looked at Nate. "Are you sure?" He nodded. "Heard them talking about a 'drop'. Not sure what that means, but I have a feeling they do something. They are a threat Elder." Arthur nodded. "We will deal with them in due time. What else happened? Cordova looks pissed off." Nate sighed. "The Rail Road wants to use her. They want to know how to create others like her. She blew like Yellow Stone and she had a right to. She went off and basically said that what they wanted was impossible, she wasn't a lab rat and they needed to leave her alone. Hell, the leader was talking about getting her to join. And no. She shut that down quick enough. I do have a feeling that we are going to be seeing them again, and I think the fight is going to be bad enough that Cordova finally lets go of all the rage she has been holding on to." Arthur nodded as Nate stood up. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I need to get ready for my return to the Glowing Sea. I have to see a man about plans." Arthur nodded as Nate walked to the door. "Why didn't she say yes?" Nate looked at him. "Could be she found where she belongs, even if none of you see it. Cordova needs to be wanted. Not just for what she thinks she is, but for who she is. She is more than the sum of her parts Arthur, and sometimes we forget that." Nate walked out, unaware that Cordova heard every word he said. Going back to the file, she kept reading, Arthur getting up from his desk and walking to her open door. "Got a minute?" She looked up at him and closed the file. "Not really, but I can make time. What's on your mind?" He walked over and sat across from her. "I was thinking about what Nate just said and he's right. I see you as the last Sleepless, and not as you. I want to change that." She looked at him as he stood up. "How are you planning on doing that Elder? Your not exactly the warm, fuzzy type." Arthur laughed and looked at her. "Just listen to what I have to say alright, and then you can know where I am coming from." She sighed and looked at him. "Fine."

He looked at her and had no idea where to begin, but looking at her, he knew she deserved the truth. "I had no idea you were here." She looked at him. "In what way?" He started pacing and she watched him. "In every way that mattered. See we knew from records that you lived here, had a profession here, but not what you did. I had no idea what you could do, just that you lived here. No one knew that you survived in the Vault. Hell, if I'm being honest, I thought you were someone Roger made up. To inspire hope, and rally the troops. I had no idea that you were even alive, but I sent Danse and his team here to not only search for you, but for other records about building we felt could help with the cause. I was stunned when I was able to talk to the Paladin and he said that you had helped him find a way to get in contact. He didn't tell me much, but wanted to wait until we got here to tell me. So I did what any good leader would have done. I sent Jay out to get a feel for you, and see if it was true. You coming out of the Vault, saving the team. I assumed he did all the work, and he was giving you the credit." She shook her head. "Thanks. Makes me feel all fuzzy inside." He held up a hand. "No, just listen. When you got here, I had no idea what to expect. I assumed you were a weak Waste Lander and I felt something when our eyes met. You were leaning on the door frame, your right leg crossed over your left and for a split second, you looked bored, and to be honest, it was kind of a turn on. Here I was, men and women listening to every word I said and you? You wanted to be done with the circus. I think you may have zoned out because when I asked you a question, you walked over to me. If I knew then what I know now, I would have tried to be nicer. But you came in attitude and not playing games. Hell, I wanted to ask you how you did that so easy and got away with it, because I wanted to know." She sighed. "I was terrified that you were going to throw me out on my ass. That was my main thought." He chuckled. "And when you went against everything I told you, it made me realize that you were the only one that could call me out like that, do what you wanted, how you wanted and didn't care what the reason was. I come in with a grenade and you? You blow me away with a flame thrower. Hell, when you ripped into the Knights, I was impressed because they never feared me, but they did you. Hell, I don't think people stopped talking about that. And when Danse walked back in, he placed his hand on your arm and for a split second, I seen the wheels turn in your head and I about had a heart attack when you had your heel on his throat. But then I noticed something. You came back into yourself and helped the Paladin up and even when he told you he was ok, you had to make sure he was ok. That impressed me the most. That you still had compassion even after the Paladin grabbed you." She looked at him. "I heal. That's part of who I am and always will be. Is there a point to this Elder?" He nodded. "I'm getting there. You need more patience." She snorted. "No, people need to stop yammering and get to the point. I'm not one to dwell on shit." Arthur nodded. "Point taken." She chuckled. "Not even a few minutes later, Jay walked in and told me who you were. I knew that I needed to know for sure and in those three seconds it took to ask, you confirmed everything that I was told. Was I excited? Yes, but not if that hurt you. My announcing that you were the First Lady of Steel could have gone better, if I had to do it over again, I wouldn't have said a word, and let you have the time you needed to understand what that meant for not only you, but me. You humble me Cordova. In a way that I can't change. I know you don't want to date, but I have to ask. If you could, would you?" She looked at him and then to the file on the desk. "If time wasn't a barrier? Yes, but I can't have what I want so why bother? I am the last Sleepless and that won't change unless I find a way to do it." Arthur nodded and walked over to the desk. "I just wish I was that guy for you Dova. I want to be that man for you. Even if we are just nothing more than friends. You deserve to find what makes you happy." She sighed and stunned them both by breaking down into tears.

Arthur walked over to her and pulled her into a hug. "I didn't mean to make you cry. Now I feel like an ass." She sobbed harder, and couldn't form a word, so she just cried. He had no idea what to do, so he rode out the storm of her tears and just rubbed her back. "It'll be ok. Just let it all out." She shuddered as the tears fell, Roger walking in to see her a mess. "I had a feeling this day would come." Arthur looked at him confused. "What do you mean?" Roger sighed and looked at him. "She has been the strong one with everything in her life and I had a feeling that one day she would realize that she can't carry it all alone." Her sobs ended and she sighed. "Sorry. I didn't mean to do that." Arthur looked down at her. "It's ok. No damage done. You needed to do it so there's that I guess." She nodded and looked at Roger. "Was there something you needed?" Roger shook his head. "No. Just wanted to see how you were doing." She nodded and walked back over to the desk. "I am so out of my element here." Arthur and Roger looked at each other and then at her. "What do you mean?" She sighed. "The Rail Road asked me to join. Kind of demanded it actually and I couldn't." Arthur nodded. "Nate told me. He also said that you went off on their leader." She nodded. "I did. They want the one thing I can't give them or anyone else." Roger looked at her. "And that is?" She sighed. "Being Sleepless. They want to become what I am, and there is no way that I can do that. Even if I could, there are a lot of things that could go wrong." Arthur looked at her and sighed. "Well, I am going to go and give you some space. You know where to find me." She nodded as Arthur led Roger out, closing her door behind him, Cordova thinking about what he said and it made her smile.

A few hours later, she was elbow deep in files and she sighed. "I really need to get out of my head for a bit." She placed the files back in the locker and closed it, making sure the lock was closed. She walked out of her room, locking the door as well, making her way to the dining hall. Seeing how packed it was made her grin. "Standing room only it looks like." She turned and noticed Jason standing beside her. "Do I want to ask why?" Jason laughed. "Poker night." She nodded. "And I missed dinner didn't I?" Jason nodded. "About two hours ago. But I think the cook has some snacks you can have." She sighed. "Would rather have a pizza." Jason laughed, as he drug her into the room. All noise stopped as she walked in, and Danse stood up. "There you are. You missed dinner." She nodded. "No? Really? One of us has to adult around here and we all know you can't do that." Danse laughed as the cook walked out with a tray. "I saved this for you, had a feeling you'd be late." Cordova took the tray and laughed. "Sorry. Found some files that are important and I was so engrossed I forgot about food." The cook patted her cheek and led her to an empty table. "They tend to get loud on nights like this." She shoved the pasta in her mouth and chewed, her mind on other things. "You seem far away." She looked at the cook. "Sorry. My mind keeps circling back to a thought and I can't let it go." He nodded. "You stress too much and it makes people worry." She laughed. "Force of habit, but I am working on it, so there's to that." The cook laughed, stood up and left her to watch the poker games going on. "There he is! I was wondering if you were going to make it." Nate nodded as his eyes landed on hers. "She been here long?" A Knight shook her head. "Nah, she missed dinner so the cook brought it out to her. No idea who she is, but she seems important." Nate nodded as Arthur and Jay walked in and over to her table. "She is, but don't worry about it. She will search you out." The Knight nodded and led Nate to a table. Passing over caps, he was given a massive stack of chips and the game got started.

She let conversations ebb and flow and for once she didn't want to be a part of it. She just wanted to relax and breathe, but a few Knights asked her to play and were miffed when she said she wanted to watch. She watched the people playing and for once, she felt like the world was calm, and the only time it went crazy was in the daylight. Letting her mind drift, she wasn't aware of Arthur and Jay. "This seat taken?" She jumped and looked at Arthur. "Do I need to remind you that you own the place?" Arthur shook his head and looked at her. "Shhh! I don't think the other people in the room are aware of that fact." She snorted. "I think that means you need to lay off the pills you haven't taken. Are you sure your fit for duty?" Jay and Arthur laughed as the betting got louder and she smiled. "Where are the Squires? I haven't seen them all day?" Jay sighed. "They are on a camping trip. Haylen has them at the Police Station and is planning on taking them out to some settlement. All I know is it has 'Hills' in the name." She nodded. "That's where Nate and I are from. My house is still there." She looked at her Pip-Boy and sent a message letting Codsworth know that there were a group of kids arriving in the morning and that she sent them. When she got a reply, she smiled. "Done and Done. Codsworth will be ready to help if needed." Arthur nodded. "He seemed worried about you. For a robot." She nodded. "He's been with me since I came here for Medical School. Made things in the house run a lot smoother." Arthur nodded as she sighed. "You ok?" She nodded. "I am. Just thinking about things that I need to do tomorrow." Jay looked at her. "Well, my family will be here, so I am not going to be around." She nodded. "That has to be exciting for you. How long has it been since you've seen them?" Jay shrugged. "Two years. I was sent here for training and never left." Cordova smiled and sipped from the mug by her elbow. "Well, I had to rain on the party, but I am going to take a long hot bubble bath and read a good book. Night guys." She picked up the plate and mug, walking them over to the dish pan and walked out, the Knights watching her leave, the games heating up. Jay walked over and joined a game, Arthur just taking it all in.

Humming to herself, she walked out of the bathroom, the scent of her soap filling the air. "Pardon, but we are looking for Paladin Everhart." She jumped out of her skin and screamed, looking at the people in her room. "He's not here. Get out." A Knight rushed into her room, and took in the scene. "Want me to get the Elder?" She nodded, her hand on her racing heart. "Tell him I have people in my room that broke in." The Knight nodded and left, Cordova looking at the taller of the men. "I have no idea who you are, or why you are looking for the Paladin, but I can tell you that he isn't here. In fact, why don't you all go and find him." She sighed as Jay walked in, Arthur behind him. "I thought you'd be a few more days." Grant hugged Jay as his mom babbled. "We wanted to get here as soon as possible. You are the one who moved away from home." Jay sighed and looked at his mom. "Did you just walk into any open door that you found?" Kyra nodded. "We thought since this room is so close to the Elder's that you would be here, but this tart walked out and screamed." Cordova looked at the woman. "Tart? Lady, you walked into MY ROOM and you have the balls to insult me? Est, semper unum et excors, quod putat in mundo versatur circa eos, et ego cognovi quod est tibi. Non ludere eos ludos tam vos in vestri own. (There is always one idiot that thinks the world revolves around them, and I have a feeling that is you. I don't play those games so you are on your own.) Now can you all please get the fuck out? I was relaxing until it was blown to hell." Jay looked at her as Kyra demanded to know what was said. "Never mind mum. It's not important." Kyra looked at Cordova, wanting her punished. "Then it's not a problem repeating it is there?" Jay shook his head. "My Latin is a little rusty." Kyra looked at Cordova. "How is it that she speaks Latin? Most Brotherhood of Steel member's don't speak it outside of a few words." Cordova smiled. "Helps when you started learning it at the age of four. I speak it fluently and have for ages." Grant snorted. "I doubt it, unless you spent the past two hundred years frozen in a Vault." She looked at Jay and then to Arthur, Grant hearing what wasn't said. "And I am daft. You must be the young woman from the Vault." Cordova sighed. "That's me, but my friend Nate came with me so I wasn't alone in my leaving." Grant smiled. "Is he?" Cordova shuddered. "Fuck no. But he makes a good target for my ire most days." Grant laughed as everyone watched her. "So is there any way that I can talk you into marrying my son? He's a catch as you kids call it." Cordova felt her mind blank and all she did was blink. "Dad. Not the time. Cordova has a lot going on." Grant laughed and looked at her. "A joke Love. We all know that Jay is hoping for a chance with the First Lady of Steel. The way he talks about her, you'd think the lad had gone off his head over her." Cordova glared daggers at Jay as he rubbed the back of his neck. "Dad? Please stop." Grant went beet red. Kyra looked at her and knew there was something else going on. "Is there any other reason to not marry my son?" Cordova sighed. "Unless he can become Sleepless, then I don't see the point." All eyes went to her and she didn't react. "Your what?" Cordova sighed as one of Jay's brother's walked over to her desk and picked up the file that was closed. "This is interesting. 'Sleepless and the birth rate of Sleepless children.' What does that mean?" Cordova sighed. "A lot. They wanted to know if children born with a Sleepless father and a Sleeper mother would be like the father, or the mother." Jay looked at Corey. "Cordova that is Corey. He's a science nerd. He revs on the old stuff." Cordova smiled. "Then he's gonna flip his lid when he finds out that I was a pre-war Doctor." Corey looked at her and his eyes lit up. "Marry me yesterday." Cordova snorted. "No." Corey snapped his fingers. "Damn. But can we talk at some point? You have probably seen a lot and did a lot." Cordova smiled. "Sure, but understand you try anything, I will kick you through a wall and make you rethink your life goals." Corey held out his hand for her to shake. Taking it, he pulled her into a hug. "You are safe from me. You look too smart for me." She let Corey hug her and she dropped her arm. "As long as we are on the same page, we will get along just fine." Grant looked at Arthur. "Careful or you will lose the advantage." Arthur shook his head. "Cordova does what she wants and doesn't answer to me. She never has and never will." Corey and Cordova were talking in low tones and every few words, his voice would spike. "That is amazing. How did you do all of this?" She smiled. "Well, other than being Sleepless, I am not sure." All talking in the room stopped, all eyes going to her.

Corey looked at her confused. "There are no Sleepless left. They died in the war." Cordova shook her head. "Not true. I was frozen in a Vault for over two hundred and ten years. I had no idea what I was walking into when I left the Vault." Corey looked at her. "You pulling my leg?" She shook her head. "Not sure how tall you'd want to be, you already tower over me." Corey looked at Jay and then to Arthur. "Is she pulling my leg?" Jay shook his head. "No, she is the real deal. You have been talking to the last Sleepless. But she's not a fish in a bowl, treat her with respect." Corey nodded and looked at Cordova. "Is there anything I can't ask you?" She shook her head. "Yeah. Don't ask about marriage, or dating. Those will piss me off quick." Corey nodded and offered her his arm. "I am going to risk your ire, but since Harris and Abby are getting married, would you go with me? As a friend? This isn't a date." She smiled. "I could always use more friends. As long as you understand that if I find out you are using me to score points with anyone I will own your soul and make you rethink your life and the plans you made." Grant watched the two of them, a smile on his face. Bumping him with her elbow, he looked at Kyra. "The lad needs a challenge on what he knows, and I have feeling she will teach him a few things." Kyra nodded. "She seems nice. Wonder why she was left behind?" Jay sighed. "That is a question not even she knows the answer to. She left the Vault with her friend Nate and he has been searching for his son. We are not sure what is going to happen when he finds him, but Cordova is worried about what comes after." Kyra looked at Corey and Cordova in a deep conversation. "Are her and Nate?" Jay shook his head. "No. She isn't wanting to date or get married and those reasons are hers." Corey laughed, making Cordova shake her head. "I like you. We should be friends. Hell, if I can think of a way to keep you here, there are a few things I think you'd like to see." Corey looked at Grant, who sighed. "I will think about it." Corey nodded and smothered a yawn. "Well, let's get all of you settled. You all have to be knackered." Corey looked at Cordova. "Talk more in the morning?" She nodded. "Works for me. I will tell you all about what college was like at twelve." Corey stammered as she laughed. "I'm serious. But that can wait. See all of you in the morning for breakfast." Jay led his family out, Arthur staying behind. "He's not going to rest until he knows all your secrets." She sighed. "I don't have that many, so no harm." Arthur nodded and looked at her. "Just be careful, he might read too much into the actions you take." Cordova nodded. "I can see the moves he makes ten step out. I'll be ok." Arthur walked toward the door. "You know where to find me. Night Cordova." She smiled. "Rest well Elder." Arthur left, Jay spending the night with his family. "She is really cool. Are you sure I'm not poaching?" Jay looked at Corey. "If she figures out you are using her, she will make you regret it. She has had her heart broken too many times and can see through men that only want one thing. When she finds out, you will be out quicker than jam on toast." Corey sighed. "I just need her to fall in love with me so I can take my place in the Brotherhood and she is going to take me there." Jay shook his head and knew that Corey was in for a rude wake up call. Cordova shook her head and sighed, hearing every word Corey said and she knew that Arthur was right. He was already reading too much into things. Sitting on her bed, she thought about what she was going to do, and how to make it known that she wasn't a toy to play with.

The next morning, Corey jumped out of bed when the alarm clock went off, hoping to catch Cordova alone. He looked around for Jay and realized he probably had meetings to deal with, and hoped Cordova was free to spend the day with him. Getting dressed, he walked to the dining hall, hoping to see her there. "Look, all I'm saying is the Squires need more than just war training Elder, they also need to know about history, math, science, music, and art. All of that matters and makes kids smarter." Corey walked over to them and stood there waiting. "You seem to think they need it." She huffed. "They do. What happens when the war here is over? Do they go back to being kids? Or are they young minds that are going to waste away?" Arthur noticed Corey behind her and didn't say a word. "How about we table this conversation. Jay's younger brother is wanting to talk to you." She looked at Arthur. "You don't want to admit that I am right. You think that all the Squires want to do is play war. They are kids Arthur and they should have every tool needed to become fully functional adults. You are an adult and I have no fucking idea how in the hell you function outside of being the Elder. If you want my take on it, you never were expected to be anything other than Elder and that? That really fucking sucks. You all go on about me and how I lived, but I did have hobbies." Arthur looked at her. "What hobbies do you have besides driving me nuts?" She smiled. "Want the list?" He smiled. "Sure. Tell me." She laughed, as Corey was starting to get frustrated. "Let's see. I speak Latin, I dance, do yoga, do martial arts, play the violin, plan out pranks, and listen to people. But the last thing was my profession, and not so much as a hobby." Arthur shook his head. "Packed hobby list." She narrowed her eyes. "For one that spends all day awake and has more free time than most people. Look, I am just using what I have done as a frame of reference. No one is saying that the Squires have to do any of those things, I Just think that they will burn out one day and then what? You have men and women who are angry because they never got to have any fun. Being a kid is hard Arthur. You of all people should know that." He looked at her. "That's twice you'd used my name. Keep going." She rolled her eyes. "If it gets my point into that thick head of yours, so be it." She walked away, Corey and Arthur looking at her back as she left. "She seems pissed off this morning." Arthur shook his head. "Not really. We have this same conversation every morning. Was there something you needed?" Corey nodded. "I wanted to talk to her about the wedding so I know what she's wearing." Arthur looked at him. "That reminds me. She wanted me to let you know that she isn't going to be able to attend. She has a few things she needs to take care of." Corey looked at Arthur confused. "The wedding is in a few days. I don't have time to find a date." Jay walked over and looked at him. "Just heard that she's not going to be here. What's going on?" Arthur shrugged. "She just said there was an issue with her house and didn't know how long it would take to settle things. I think Preston said something and it pissed her off. I'm surprised she puts up with his ego the way she does." Jay nodded. "I've never been to see where she and Nate lived. But from what I gather, it's not a good thing." Arthur nodded. "Danse went with her once. From what he told me, she kept looking at the damage and didn't really say too much. It's like she didn't want to think about the present and wanted things to return to what she knew." Arthur walked away, leaving Jay and Corey to look at each other. "What did I say? She acts like I am not here." Jay shook his head. "She doesn't interact with many people in the morning. She talks to Arthur because they go over what is happening and how things might go. You see her as your way in, but she runs circles around everyone on the ship. Hell I watched her work for half and hour and by the time she was done, I needed a nap." Jay walked away from Corey, the younger man not realizing she heard the conversation between him and Jay.

Grant walked into Arthur's office, a mug in his hands. "Good Morning Grant. How did you sleep?" Grant rolled his neck, and sighed. "Like a stone. I see that Cordova is distracted this morning." Arthur nodded. "She has a lot going on. She got word at dawn that the settlement she came from was attacked. Nate is on his way to the Glowing Sea, so Cordova is planning on going there to access the damage." Grant nodded. "I can have Corey go with her. He needs to learn about the Common Wealth if he's going to live here as her boyfriend. What does she do here exactly." Arthur looked at him. "Boyfriend? What are you talking about?" Grant sighed. "Corey did ask if he could stay here last night. She agreed and I would hope that you would encourage the relationship." Arthur shook his head, already seeing Cordova's reaction in his mind. "I can't force her to do anything. No one can." Cordova walked in, unaware of the conversation, a notebook in her hand. "This is what was lost, and from what I have been told, it was an all out attack from the Institute. They were looking for something, or better yet, someone. So they went after Nate thinking he was there, or they were hoping to catch the two of us off guard." Arthur scanned the paper. "But which one do they want?" Corey walked in and looked at his dad. "Morning Dad, Cordova, Elder." Cordova didn't respond to Corey, Grant noticing. "If I were betting, I would say me." Arthur looked at her. "What do you mean?" She smiled. "Other than the fact I'm Sleepless, I also have something they want. All the files on every Sleepless, how to remove the gene and if it's possible to close the gap in adults. Before you ask, no. It's not possible." Arthur nodded getting the answer he wanted to know. "How sure are you?" She wrinkled her nose. "Fifty-fifty on either side. There are a lot of unknowns when it comes to genes and I am not really an expert on them. I can follow the bouncing ball most of the time. Hell, a lot of the words I haven't heard since Medical school and it took me a second to remember that they were talking about me and the other nineteen men created. Let me tell you, it's surreal reading about yourself in a lab report. Kind of funny if you think about it. But I was a kid so there isn't much that they could put in pertaining to the fact that I was a minor when the tests were done." Arthur nodded, not understanding all of what she was saying. "So what does that have to do with Sanctuary Hills?" She sighed. "Want the truth? Or a lie?" Arthur smiled and looked at her. "Both? Or whatever sounds good." She laughed and shook her head. "Lie, they want me to know they are there and can do what they want. Truth? They know I have everything and want to draw me out. They want to prove something and I am trying to figure out what they want. Other than the files. The only thing that links me is Nate." She stopped as the thought hit her. "I'm not the target. Nate is." Arthur looked at her as Jay and his family walked in. "What are you talking about?" She looked at Jay. "When Holly was killed, the man sent to us called him the 'back up.' At the time, I had no idea what that meant, or if he was talking about me or Nate. I am starting to think that something is going on that they need to either find Nate, or find a way to get to me. Both are equal on the train of thought. I am not going to claim something I am not sure on. But it's an angle I can work with." Corey walked over to her and read her face. "You are going after them are you not?" She nodded. "There is more than one way to get attention, and I plan on making a lot of noise to do it." Arthur looked at her, a smile on his face. "Want to fill me in on that plan?" She shook her head. "Nope, because that makes you an accomplice and I am not putting your ass in the same sling with me. I set them up, and you knock them out. I know Nate is doing it his way, but mine? Mine just might get the job done without all the blood shed." Corey looked at her and was stunned. "What are you planning on doing?" She smiled, her response freezing Arthur's blood. "I'm going to get inside." She looked at Arthur, everyone standing in stunned silence.


End file.
